Lucknow, July 21 -- In a shift from paper-based approvals to on-ground verification, the Uttar Pradesh government has begun a statewide review of tourism and religious infrastructure projects, making field inspections, public utility and accountability the cornerstones of project approval.

The exercise, which will cover all 18 administrative divisions of the state, started on Monday with a detailed review of projects proposed from the Agra and Aligarh divisions. Together, the two divisions presented 80 tourism and religious infrastructure proposals worth over Rs.500 crore, marking the beginning of what is expected to be a comprehensive audit of the state's tourism development pipeline for the 2026-27 financial year.

Unlike conventional ...