Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Ayodhya to mark the inauguration of several projects, including the consecration of the grand Ram Temple on January 22, 2024. On this visit, PM Modi will flag off two Amrit Bharat and six Vande Bharat trains from the redeveloped Ayodhya Dham Railway Station.
The Amrit Bharat trains are a new category of superfast passenger trains, featuring the LHB push-pull system but with non-air-conditioned coaches. These trains are equipped with various facilities such as well-designed seats, improved luggage racks, mobile charging points, LED lights, CCTV, and a public information system. The two Amrit Bharat trains flagged off will operate as Darbhanga-Ayodhya-Anand Vihar Terminal Amrit Bharat Express and Malda Town-Sir M. Visvesvaraya Terminus (Bengaluru) Amrit Bharat Express.
Additionally, six Vande Bharat trains will be inaugurated during the visit. The routes 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.
PM Modi will also dedicate three railway projects worth ₹2300 crore, focusing on strengthening rail infrastructure in the region. The projects include the Rooma Chakeri-Chanderi third line project, sections of the
Jaunpur-Ayodhya-Barabanki doubling project, and the doubling and electrification project of the Malhaur-Daliganj railway section.
Moreover, the Phase I of the redeveloped Ayodhya Railway Station, Ayodhya Dham Junction Railway Station, will be inaugurated, featuring modern amenities such as lifts, escalators, food plazas, shops for puja needs, cloakrooms, child care rooms, and waiting halls. The station is designed to be ‘accessible for all’ and is an ‘IGBC-certified green station building.’
PM Modi will also inaugurate the newly built Ayodhya Airport, Maharishi Valmiki International Airport Ayodhya Dham, developed at a cost of over ₹1450 crore. The airport’s terminal building reflects the architecture of the Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and incorporates sustainability features such as an insulated roofing system, LED lighting, rainwater harvesting, landscaping with fountains, a water treatment plant, a sewage treatment plant, and a solar power plant. The terminal building is adorned with local art, paintings, and murals depicting the life of Bhagwan Shri Ram.