The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth more than Rs 15,700 crore at Ayodhya Dham. These include projects worth about Rs 11,100 crore for development of Ayodhya and its surrounding areas and projects worth about Rs 4600 crore related to other projects across Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier PM Modi inaugurated the redeveloped Ayodhya Railway Station and flagged off new Amrit Bharat trains and Vande Bharat trains.  He also dedicated several other railway projects to the nation. After that, he  also inaugurated the newly built Ayodhya Airport. The airport has been named Maharishi Valmiki International Airport.

Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister, while expressing delight to be in Ayodhya Dham, noted the fervour and enthusiasm in the holy city during his roadshow. The Prime Minister said that “the world is eagerly waiting for 22nd January. I am a devotee of every particle and person of India, I too am eager” for the day of Pran Pratishtha at the upcoming Ram Temple.

The Prime Minister noted the significance of 30th December as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose unfurled tricolour on this day in Andaman in 1943. “On such an auspicious day associated with the freedom movement, today we are carrying forward the resolve of the Amrit Kaal”, he added. He said that the campaign of Viksit Bharat is getting new energy from Ayodhya and congratulated the people of Ayodhya for the development projects. He emphasized that these projects will re-establish Ayodhya on the national map. 

The Prime Minister stressed that taking care of heritage is an integral part of scaling new heights of development. “Today’s India is moving while incorporating both ancient and modern” he said and elaborated the point by juxtaposing grand temple of Ram Lala with pucca houses for 4 crore poor citizens; renovation of places of faith with strides in Digital India; Kashi Vishwanath Dham with more than 30,000 panchayat bhawans; revamping of Kedar Dham with more than 315 medical colleges; Mahakaal Mahalok with Har Ghar Jal; achievements in space and ocean with bringing back heritage artifacts from abroad.

He continued, referring to the upcoming Pran Pratishtha, and said ‘today here is celebration of progress, after some days there will be festival of tradition, today we see grandeur of development, after some days we feel the divinity of the heritage. This collective strength of development and heritage will take India forward in the 21st century.” Referring to the ancient glory of Ayodhya as described by Maharishi Valmiki himself, the Prime Minister reiterated the desire to bring that grandeur back by linking it with modernity.

“Not only Awadh region, but Ayodya will give new direction to the development of the entire Uttar Pradesh”, said PM Modi. He pointed out the projected increase of pilgrims and tourists coming to the holy city in the wake of the grand temple and said that infrastructure is being revamped to meet the demand.

The Prime Minister expressed happiness on naming Ayodhya Airport after Maharishi Valmiki. He said Maharishi Valmiki’s Ramayana is the path of knowledge which connects us to Shri Ram. Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in modern India will connect us to Ayodhya Dham and the divine-grand-new Ram temple. In the first phase the airport can handle 10 lakh passengers annually and after the second phase, Maharishi Valmiki International Airport will cater to 60 lakh commuters annually. Ayodhya Dham Railway Station handles 10 thousand people now  this will reach 60 thousand after revamping will be complete, he informed. Similarly, he informed that with Ram Path, Bhakti Path, Dharm Path and Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Path, car parkings, new medical colleges, preventing pollution of Saryu ji, transformation of Ram ki Pedi, upgradation of the ghats, renovation of ancient kunds, Lata Mangeshkar Chowk are giving new identity to Ayodhya and creating new avenues of income and employment in the holy city.

The Prime Minister informed about the new train series ‘Amrit Bharat’ trains after Vande Bharat and Namo Bharat and expressed delight that the first Amrit Bharat train is going through Ayodhya. He congratulated people of UP, Delhi, Bihar, West Bengal and Karnataka for getting these trains today. The Prime MInister highlighted the sense of service to the poor that underlie modern Amrit Bharat trains. “People who often travel long distances due to their work, and those who do not have that much income, are also entitled to modern facilities and comfortable travel. These trains have been designed keeping in mind the dignity in the life of the poor”, he added. The Prime Minister also highlighted the role that Vande Bharat trains are playing in linking development with heritage. “The country's first Vande Bharat Express train ran from Kashi. Today Vande Bharat Express trains are running on 34 routes in the country. Vande Bharat connects Kashi, Katra, Ujjain, Pushkar, Tirupati, Shirdi, Amritsar, Madurai, every such big center of faith. In this series, today Ayodhya has also got the gift of Vande Bharat train”, said PM Modi.

The Prime Minister listed ancient traditions of ‘yatras’ in all parts of the country and said the facilities being created in Ayodhya Dham will make the Yatra of devotees to the Dham more comfortable.

The Prime Minister asked all the 140 crore Indians to light Shri Ram Jyoti. “This historical moment has very fortunately come into the lives of all of us. We have to take a new resolution for the country and fill it with new energy”, PM Modi said. Keeping in mind the desire of everyone to be present for Pran Pratishtha, the Prime Minister also requested everyone to plan their visit to Ayodhya only after the programme of 22nd January as it is important from the point of view of security and arrangements. He asked everyone to plan their visit after 23rd January. “We waited for 550 years, wait for some more time”, he requested.

Preparing the people of Ayodhya for innumerable visitors in future, the Prime MInister reiterated his emphasis on cleanliness and asked them to make Ayodhya the cleanest city of the country.” For the grand Ram temple, a huge campaign of cleanliness should be launched at the pilgrimage sites across the country from 14th January, the day of Makar Sankranti”, the Prime MInister called upon the citizens of India.

The Prime Minister also narrated his experience of visiting the house of the 10 croreth beneficiary of Ujjwala Gas Connection. He expressed happiness that Ujjwala Scheme, started on first May 2016 in Ballia district of UP has helped so many women from the smoke and transformed their lives. He said that 18 crore gas connections including  10 crore free connections have been provided in the last 10 years as compared to just 14 crore connections in the 50-55 years before that.

The Prime Minister reiterated his commitment to serve the people with all his might. “Nowadays some people ask me why Modi's guarantee has so much strength. Modi's guarantee has so much power because Modi does what he says. Today the country has faith in Modi's guarantee because Modi puts in all his efforts to fulfill the guarantees he gives. This city of Ayodhya is also a witness to this. And today I will once again assure the people of Ayodhya that we will leave no stone unturned in the development of this holy place”, he concluded

Details of the project

Improved civic infrastructure in Ayodhya

To enhance accessibility to the upcoming Shri Ram Mandir, the Prime Minister inaugurated four newly redeveloped, widened and beautified roads in Ayodhya - Rampath, Bhaktipath, Dharampath, and Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Path.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated and dedicated to the nation a number of projects that will strengthen the civic infrastructure and beautify the public places in and around Ayodhya. These inaugurated projects include Rajarshi Dashrath Autonomous State Medical College; four-lane road connecting Ayodhya-Sultanpur Road-Airport; four-lane road till Tedhi Bazaar Shri Ram Janmabhoomi via NH-27 bypass Mahobra Bazaar; several beautified roads across the city and the Ayodhya bypass;  Jagdishpur-Faizabad section of NH-330A; widening and strengthening of Maholi-Baragaon-Deodhi road and Jasarpur-Bhaupur-Gangaraman-Sureshnagar road; ROB at Badi Bua Railway Crossing on Panchkosi Parikrama Marg; solid waste treatment Plant in village Pikhrauli; and new buildings and classrooms in Dr. Brajkishore Homoeopathic College and Hospital, among others.  The Prime Minister also inaugurated works related to Mukhyamantri Nagar Srijan Yojana work and five parking and commercial facilities.

Foundation stone of new projects in Ayodhya

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of new projects which will further help in the revamp of civic facilities in Ayodhya while also strengthening the rich cultural heritage of the city.  These include conservation and beautification of four historical entrance gates in Ayodhya; new concrete ghats between Guptar Ghat and Rajghat and rehabilitation of pre-built ghats; development and beautification of tourist facilities from Naya Ghat to Laxman Ghat; construction of a visitor gallery for Deepotsav and other fairs at Ram Ki Paidi; strengthening and renovation of pilgrim path from Ram Ki Paidi to Raj Ghat and Raj Ghat to Ram Temple.

The Prime Minister laid the foundation stone of a greenfield township in Ayodhya being developed at a cost of more than Rs 2180 crore and Vashishtha Kunj Residential Scheme to be developed at a cost of about Rs 300 crore.

Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of a NH-28 (new NH-27) Lucknow-Ayodhya section; strengthening and modification of NH-28 (new NH-27) existing Ayodhya bypass; establishment of the CIPET center in Ayodhya, and construction work of Municipal Corporation Ayodhya and Ayodhya Development Authority office.

Other projects across Uttar Pradesh

During the public programme, the Prime Minister inaugurated and dedicated to the nation other significant projects across Uttar Pradesh. These include the four-lane widening of Gosain Ki Bazar Bypass-Varanasi (Ghaghra Bridge-Varanasi) (NH-233); strengthening and upgradation of Khutar to Lakhimpur section of NH-730; capacity increase of LPG plant in Trishundi of Amethi district; Sewage Treatment Plant of 30 MLD in Pankha and 130 MLD in Jajmau, Kanpur; interception and diversion of drains and sewage treatment work in Unnao district; and CETP for Tannery Cluster at Jajmau in Kanpur.

Railway Projects

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today inaugurated the redeveloped Ayodhya Railway Station and flagged off new Amrit Bharat trains and Vande Bharat trains.  He also dedicated several other railway projects to the nation.

Phase I of redeveloped Ayodhya Railway Station - known as Ayodhya Dham Junction Railway Station - is developed at a cost of more than Rs 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 station building will be 'accessible for all' and 'IGBC certified green station building'.

The programme at Ayodhya Dham Junction Railway Station witnessed the Prime Minister flagging off a new category of superfast passenger trains in the country - the Amrit Bharat Express. The Amrit Bharat train is an LHB push pull train with non air-conditioned coaches. This train has locos at both ends for better acceleration. It provides improved facilities for rail passengers like beautiful and attractive designed seats, better luggage rack, mobile charging point with suitable mobile holder, LED lights, CCTV, public information system, among others. The Prime Minister also flagged off six new Vande Bharat Trains.

The Prime Minister flagged off two new Amrit Bharat trains viz Darbhanga-Ayodhya-Anand Vihar Terminal Amrit Bharat Express and Malda Town-Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminus (Bengaluru) Amrit Bharat Express.

The Prime Minister interacted with school children travelling in the inaugural journey of the Amrit Trains.

The Prime Minister also flagged off six new Vande Bharat Trains. These include 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 Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation three railway projects worth Rs 2300 crore to strengthen rail infrastructure in the region. The projects include the Rooma Chakeri-Chanderi third line project; Jaunpur-Tulsi Nagar, Akbarpur-Ayodhya, Sohawal-Patranga and Safdarganj-Rasauli sections of the Jaunpur-Ayodhya-Barabanki doubling project; and doubling and electrification project of the Malhaur-Daliganj railway section.

Maharishi Valmiki International Airport Ayodhya Dham

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi today inaugurated the newly built Ayodhya Airport. The airport has been named Maharishi Valmiki International Airport.

Phase 1 of the state-of-the-art airport is developed at a cost of more than Rs 1450 crore. The airport’s terminal building will have an area of 6500 sqm, equipped to serve about 10 lakh passengers annually. 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 & murals depicting the life of Bhagwan Shri Ram. The terminal building of Ayodhya airport is also equipped with various sustainability features like insulated roofing system, LED lighting, rain water harvesting, landscaping with fountains, water treatment plant, sewage treatment plant, solar power plant and many other such features have been provided to meet GRIHA - 5 star ratings. The airport will improve connectivity in the region, leading to a boost in tourism, business activities and employment opportunities.

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