Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Ayodhya International Airport and the redeveloped Ayodhya Dham junction today. He also flagged off eight trains -- two Amrit Bharat trains from the station and six Vande Bharat Express trains virtually.
Addressing a crowd in the city, the prime minister said he was "just as excited" for the January 22 Ram Temple consecration as the city of Ayodhya.
The prime minister had arrived in the temple city in the morning and was welcomed by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Soon after, the prime minister began his roadshow amid heavy security.
The prime minister's visit comes weeks before the grand consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple on January 22.
The prime minister will also launch or lay foundation stones for 46 infrastructure projects costing ₹ 15,700 crore. PM Modi will also inaugurate beautified roads, a medical college, the Ayodhya bypass, a solid waste treatment and five parking and commercial facilities. "Our government is determined to develop world-class infrastructure, improve connectivity and preserve the rich heritage of Ayodhya, the city of Lord Shri Ram. In this direction, I will inaugurate the newly constructed airport and redeveloped railway station tomorrow," the prime minister said in a post on X yesterday.
The Maharishi Valmiki International Ayodhya Dham Airport has been developed at a cost of over ₹1,450 crore and will serve nearly 10 lakh passengers annually. Flights from big cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Ahmedabad will bring in devotees from across India to the grand temple of Lord Ram after its consecration. The ₹ 240 crore redeveloped railway station renamed to the Ayodhya Dham junction is be a three-storey facility with food plazas and waiting rooms.