Ahead of the Ram Mandir's consecration ceremony on January 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Ayodhya on Saturday to inaugurate the new airport and the revamped railway station, both of which draw inspiration from the grand temple.
The first phase of the new airport, called the Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport, will be inaugurated on Saturday and flights will commence on January 6. Airlines will offer flights to and from major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Ahmedabad to cater to the thousands of people who are expected to visit the Ram Temple every day after the consecration ceremony.
Earlier this month, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had said, "Initially, Ayodhya had a modest airstrip spanning 178 acres, but now it is being built as a major international airport."
The chief minister had said the state government has provided 821 acres of land for the project and work is being undertaken on a war footing under the supervision of the Airport Authority of India. This, he said, was part of his government's commitment to ensuring the development of Ayodhya as well as providing essential infrastructure to the city's residents.
After reviewing construction work at the airport, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had said efforts have been made to reflect the cultural ethos of Ayodhya. A 65,000-sq ft terminal has been constructed in the first phase. The runway is 2,200 metres long and the airport has a capacity to handle 2-3 flights per hour.
Railway Station, Temple Construction
The revamped railway station has been renamed the Ayodhya Dham Junction. It is being built at a cost of Rs 430 crore and can accommodate up to 100,000 passengers.
Construction activities are in full swing on the first phase of the Ram Temple, which is expected to be completed in a few days. Decoration work will begin after that. Nearly 8,000 dignitaries have been invited to attend the consecration ceremony.
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