PM Narendra Modi Inaugurates Redeveloped Ayodhya Railway Station, Flags Off Amrit Bharat
Written by Sanjay Kumar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the extensively redeveloped Ayodhya railway station on Saturday (December 30), marking a significant milestone in the infrastructure development of the region. The prime minister flagged off a total of eight trains, including two Amrit Bharat and six Vande Bharat trains, with some launched virtually.
As part of the inauguration ceremony, PM Modi embarked on a roadshow from the airport to the railway station, where he was warmly received by a large gathering of people along the route. Displaying camaraderie, Modi interacted with the crowd, even opening the door of his vehicle at one point to acknowledge their enthusiastic support. Flower petals adorned the path, and the air was filled with chants praising the prime minister.
Cultural troupes added to the festive atmosphere, providing vibrant performances along the route. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who welcomed Modi at the airport, expressed his joy on social media, posting, “Hearty welcome and greetings to respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji in Shri Ayodhya Dham…”
The airport inauguration and railway station ceremony followed the roadshow, where PM Modi, accompanied by Chief Minister Adityanath, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and others, toured the Ayodhya Dham Junction Railway Station.
Officials reported that the Phase-I of the redevelopment, costing over Rs 240 crore, has been completed, featuring a three-storey building equipped with lifts, escalators, food plazas, shops for puja needs, cloak rooms, and waiting halls. The station has been certified as a green station building by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC).
During the inauguration, PM Modi flagged off two Amrit Bharat trains – the Darbhanga-Ayodhya-Anand Vihar Terminal Amrit Bharat Express and the Malda Town-Sir M Visvesvaraya Terminus (Bengaluru) Amrit Bharat Express.
Additionally, he launched six new Vande Bharat Trains, including services to destinations like Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, New Delhi, Amritsar, Coimbatore, Bangalore Cantt, Mangalore, Madgaon, and Ayodhya-Anand Vihar Terminal.
The prime minister is scheduled to participate in a public program, inaugurating and laying the foundation stones for development projects worth more than Rs 15,700 crore in Uttar Pradesh. Of these, around Rs 11,100 crore is allocated for projects in Ayodhya and its surrounding areas, while approximately Rs 4,600 crore is designated for various projects across the state.
This visit by PM Modi precedes the ‘pran pratishtha’ or consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, set to take place on January 22, an event that the prime minister is expected to attend, underscoring the cultural and historical significance of the region.
