During his visit to the temple town on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a number of development projects worth ₹15,700 crore in Uttar Pradesh, including the renovated Ayodhya Railway Station and the Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport in Ayodhya, his office said in a statement on Thursday.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), on this special occasion, Modi will also inaugurate six new semi-high speed Vande Bharat trains, two new Amrit Bharat trains, and a new class of superfast passenger trains.
The Amrit Bharat train is an LHB push-pull train with coaches that do not have air conditioning. The PMO stated in a statement that this train offers better facilities for rail passengers and has locos at both ends for better acceleration.
A few weeks before the eagerly awaited January 22 Ram Temple consecration event, the prime minister is visiting the temple village.
According to the PMO’s statement, Modi will launch projects totaling approximately ₹11,100 crore for the development of Ayodhya and its environs as well as approximately ₹4,600 crore for other projects throughout the state.
“Prime Minister’s vision is to develop modern world class infrastructure in Ayodhya, improve connectivity and revamp its civic facilities while also conforming to the rich history and heritage of the city,” the statement said.
“In realisation of this vision, a new airport, new redeveloped railway station, newly redeveloped, widened and beautified roads and other civic infrastructure is being inaugurated in the city. Further, foundation stones of a number of new projects will be laid that will contribute to beautification and revamp of civic facilities in and around Ayodhya,” it added.
The Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport in Ayodhya, which has been built at a cost of more than ₹1,450 crore under Phase 1, is equipped to handle one million flyers annually, the statement said. “The airport will improve connectivity in the region, leading to a boost in tourism, business activities and employment opportunities,” it said.
Several domestic airlines have already announced non-stop flights to major cities from the temple town.
On the redevelopment of the railway station, the statement said: “Phase I of redeveloped Ayodhya Railway Station – known as Ayodhya Dham Junction Railway Station – is developed at a cost of more than ₹240 crore. The three-storey modern railway station building is equipped with all modern features like lifts, escalators, food plazas, shops for puja needs, cloak rooms, child care rooms, waiting halls.”
The Prime Minister will flag off two new Amrit Bharat trains – Darbhanga-Ayodhya-Anand Vihar Terminal Amrit Bharat Express and Malda Town-Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminus (Bengaluru) Amrit Bharat Express – on the occasion. He will also flag off Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-New Delhi Vande Bharat Express; Amritsar-Delhi Vande Bharat Express; Coimbatore-Bangalore Cantt Vande Bharat Express; Mangalore-Madgaon Vande Bharat Express; Jalna-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express and Ayodhya-Anand Vihar Terminal Vande Bharat Express.
The statement added that Modi will open four newly renovated, enlarged, and beautifully landscaped roadways in Rampath, Bhaktipath, Dharampath, and Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Path to improve accessibility to the future temple.
Additional projects that have been officially opened are the Rajarshi Dashrath Autonomous State Medical College, a four-lane road that connects Ayodhya to Sultanpur Road and the airport, a four-lane road that bypasses Mahobra Bazaar and NH-27 to Tedhi Bazaar Shri Ram Janmabhoomi, and a number of beautifully landscaped roadways across the city and the Ayodhya bypass.
“Everything is ready for the Prime Minister’s arrival,” stated divisional commissioner Gaurav Dayal of Ayodhya.
