During his visit to Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated two Amrit Bharat and six Vande Bharat Express trains from the recently revamped Ayodhya Dham Railway Station. The festive atmosphere in Ayodhya, coupled with the anticipation surrounding the consecration of the grand Ram Temple scheduled for January 22 next year, added to the significance of the event.
The Amrit Bharat train, introduced as a new type of superfast passenger train, features the LHB push-pull system but is equipped with non-air-conditioned coaches. The Prime Minister virtually flagged off the maiden journey of the Jalna-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express, consisting of eight coaches, as part of the ceremonial proceedings at the Ayodhya Dham railway station.
Following the station inauguration, Prime Minister Modi proceeded to Valmiki Airport, making an unexpected visit to the home of Meera Manjhi, a beneficiary of the PM Ujjwala Yojana. During the visit, the Prime Minister shared tea with Meera, engaging in a warm interaction to celebrate the occasion.
The day’s agenda included the inauguration of Ayodhya’s Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, developed in Phase 1 at a cost exceeding Rs 1450 crore. The terminal building, spanning 6500 sqm, is set to serve approximately 10 lakh passengers annually.
The airport in Ayodhya was constructed by the Airports Authority of India, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Uttar Pradesh Government in April of the previous year.
In the upcoming phase, there are plans to extend the Ayodhya airport runway to a length of 3,700 meters to accommodate international flights. The extended runway will be capable of handling long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliners such as the Boeing 777 and Airbus 350.
Prime Minister Modi is also set to unveil and dedicate several development projects worth Rs 15,700 crore, reinforcing the government’s commitment to the region’s progress.
