Local residents stand on a rooftop as a cut-out of Hindu Lord Ram is attached to a wall decorated with flowers ahead of the opening of the temple of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.
Credit: Reuters Photo
Preparations have been made and security has been tightened ahead of the grand consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Devotees from parts of the country, politicians and celebrities alike, will be arriving to witness the consecration ceremony.
The temple city has been decked up and authorities are making final preparations to make sure Ayodhya dazzles on the big day. With respect to security, police personnel have been deployed across the city as part of a multi-layered plan. Movable barriers with barbed wires attached to them can be spotted at every prominent crossroad in the temple city, as police use them to regulate traffic, especially during VVIP movements.
Let's take a look at all the amenities that will be available for devotees:
1) To ensure smooth entry and exit for visitors arriving in Ayodhya on Monday, parking arrangements have been made at 51 designated locations in the city. These spots will be under drone surveillance and are conveniently marked on Google Maps to facilitate guests. Special parking provisions have been made for VVIPs, VIPs, and other guests, ensuring a well-organised and equipped setup.
2) With devotees expected from across the country, UP CM Yogi Adityanath had ordered signboards in multiple languages be put up. "Signage boards should be in the languages included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution and nine languages of the United Nations," he had said.
Smart signage should be installed along the Prayagraj-Ayodhya, Gorakhpur-Ayodhya, Lucknow-Ayodhya, and Varanasi-Ayodhya routes, Adityanath had said.
3) He had also asked officials to develop a digital tourist app of Ayodhya which will have information about all the basic facilities and important places in the temple town.
4) Multiple NDRF teams trained to tackle chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attacks, drowning incidents and disasters like earthquakes have been deployed.
5) The administration has made arrangements to deal with any health emergency, especially in view of the biting cold. Beds have been reserved at city-based and district hospitals and the medical college. Specialists from AIIMS have provided focused emergency response training to doctors at healthcare institutions.
6) Various community kitchens are being run in Ayodhya to serve 'langar' food for devotees flocking to the holy city. They can savour fresh cooked hot meals at these community kitchens which are operational at every nook and corner of the city.
Khichdi, aloo puri, kadhi chawal, achar, and papad are among the common menu items at these langars with the supply of hot tea bringing respite to devotees amid the bone-chilling cold.
(With PTI inputs)