Ayodhya: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today inaugurate the new airport in Ayodhya. The visit comes ahead of the much-awaited consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple on January 22.

Here are 10 facts on PM Modi's Ayodhya visit

The Prime Minister arrived in Ayodhya and will lay the foundation stone of 46 infrastructure projects worth ₹ 15,700 crore. The city has been decked up in flowers and posters welcoming the PM have been put up in several places. A heavy security cordon is in place.

Soon after his arrival, PM Modi held a roadshow during which he waved and greeted at the people who had gathered along the route from the airport to the railway station. He also witnessed performances by cultural troupes along his roadshow's route.

The Prime Minister inaugurated the redeveloped railway station, which will now be called Ayodhya Dham. The three-storey structure, redeveloped at ₹ 240 crore, is a certified green building and is equipped with lifts, escalators, waiting halls, cloakrooms and food plazas.

The station's facade has a traditional look and many aspects of the design are inspired by Lord Ram's life as well as the Ram Temple. "The top of the station has a structure with a design that resembles a royal 'mukut' (crown) while a bow has been depicted on a wall just beneath it. This is to signify Ayodhya's association with Lord Ram," an official told news agency PTI.

Prime Minister Modi also flagged off six Vande Bharat and two new Amrit Bharat trains. The Amrit Bharat trains, which are a new category of superfast passenger trains, feature the 'push-pull' technology, which increases their speed as well as passenger comfort. They also have improved amenities, including better seats, roomier luggage racks, LED lights, CCTV cameras and a public information system.

The Ayodhya airport, which will be called the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport Ayodhya Dham, has been developed at a cost of over ₹ 1,450 crore. The airport's terminal has an area of 6,500 sq m and will be equipped to serve about 10 lakh passengers annually. Colourful murals depicting different stages of the Ramayana and Lord Ram's life adorn several sections of the airport

Airlines will offer flights to and from major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Ahmedabad to cater to the thousands of people who are expected to visit the Ram Temple every day after the consecration ceremony. Regular flight operations will begin on January 6.

The Prime Minister will inaugurate the railway station around 10.30 am and flag off the trains. He will also dedicate several other railway projects to the nation. The PM will hold a roadshow and reach the Ayodhya Airport, which will be inaugurated around 12.30 pm. He will then participate in a public programme where he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of the development projects.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday inspected the Ayodhya railway station and the airport and also took a selfie at the ground where the Prime Minister will address the public programme. The chief minister will welcome the PM when he arrives in Ayodhya around 9.50 am.

Of the development works, projects worth more than ₹ 11,000 crore are for Ayodhya and its surrounding areas. The Prime Minister will inaugurate four widened and beautified roads in the city. The other projects include a medical college, the Ayodhya bypass, a solid waste treatment and five parking and commercial facilities.

SOURCE : NDTV