Bhubaneswar: There was much hype and anticipation over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ayodhya on Saturday.
The high points of his hectic tour, however, were the redeveloped railway station and brand new international airport which he unveiled.
Large posters with Modi’s image and a message of welcome to the ‘holy city of Ayodhya’ were put up at several prominent locations in the temple town.
Welcomed by dozens of groups of artists from across the country on his arrival in Ayodhya, Modi held a roadshow where more than 1,400me performers presented folk art and cultural programs on 40 stages which were set up along the route, Ram Path.
He unveiled the redesigned and completely overhauled Ayodhya railway station, renamed as Ayodhya Dham Junction. The Prime Minister also flagged off two Amrit Bharat Express trains from Ayodhya Dham Junction.
After a couple of more public events, Modi travelled to Ayodhya airport and inaugurated what is likely to be known as ‘Maharishi Valmiki International Airport Ayodhya Dham’.
“Phase 1 of the state-of-the-art airport is developed at a cost of more than Rs 1,450 crore. The airport’s terminal building will have an area of 6500 square metres and is equipped to serve around 10 lakh passengers annually,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.
“The facade of the Terminal Building depicts the temple architecture of the upcoming Shri Ram Mandir of Ayodhya. The interiors of the terminal Building are decorated with local art, paintings and murals depicting the life of Bhagwan Shri Ram,” PMO added.
The PM will inaugurate four newly-redeveloped, widened and beautified roads in Ayodhya – Ram Path, Bhakti Path, Dharm Path, and Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Path, the PMO said.
The terminal building of the new airport is also equipped with a number of sustainability features like insulated roofing system, LED lighting, rainwater harvesting, landscaping with fountains, water treatment plant, sewage treatment plant, solar power plant and others which meet GRIHA – 5-star ratings.
UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath also shared pictures of the grand functions.
Modi will next visit Ayodhya on January 22, when the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple will take place.
Modi will also launch projects worth over Rs 11,100 crore in Ayodhya to enhance civic facilities and develop world-class infrastructure and projects of over Rs 4,600 crore for other parts of Uttar Pradesh.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who arrived a day earlier to supervise last-minute arrangements, was present on Saturday along with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia, local MPs, MLAs and some party functionaries.
