Finance
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the redeveloped Ayodhya Dham railway junction on Saturday. In addition, he signaled the departure of six brand-new Vande Bharat trains and the first Amrit Bharat Express trains.
Modi launched the new trains with the participation of Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. According to a statement, the Amrit Bharat trains would run on the following two routes: Malda Town-Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminus (Bengaluru) and Darbhanga-Ayodhya-Anand Vihar Terminal.
Modi flagged off six Vande Bharat trains – 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, it said.
The railway station was redeveloped at a cost of more than Rs 240 crore and it is equipped with all modern features like lifts, escalators, food plazas, shops for puja needs, cloakrooms, child care rooms, and waiting halls.
The Prime Minister will later lay the cornerstones for other development projects in Uttar Pradesh in addition to inaugurating the recently constructed airport.
At 11 a.m. today, Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath welcomed PM Modi at the airport upon his arrival in the temple town.
The Prime Minister held a roadshow on his way to the train station after his arrival.
In the meantime, the sacred city is heavily guarded and decorated with floral arrangements, murals, and decorative columns with a theme. Large posters with photographs of Modi have been displayed prominently in this area, and outside the renovated train station, cutouts of Lord Ram have been erected.
Extensive security measures were put in place from the main city around 15 km away, via the Ram Path to the airport in Ayodhya.
On Saturday morning, the town’s streets were alive with the sound of holy chanting and bell ringing from multiple temples, accompanied by devotional music praising Lord Ram.
The Prime Minister’s visit occurs just before the Ram Mandir’s “pran pratishtha,” or consecration ceremony, which is scheduled for January 22.
