Security beefed up in Ayodhya ahead of Narendra Modi's visit

The prime minister is visiting the town to inaugurate the redeveloped Ayodhya railway station and a new airport.

Ayodhya: Ayodhya is all geared up for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit on December 30, with the city being decked up with flowers, murals and thematic ornamental columns amid heavy security deployment in the temple town.

Divisional Commissioner of Ayodhya, Gaurav Dayal said preparations are in full swing for the visit and despite dense fog in the city in the last two days, all arrangements are on course.

Modi will visit the town on Saturday to inaugurate the redeveloped Ayodhya railway station and a new airport. He will also address a public rally near the airport.

"The prime minister is expected to reach Ayodhya airport somewhere around 10:45 am. After landing at the airport, he will move straight to Ayodhya railway station where he will inaugurate the redeveloped railway station. He will then return to the airport, inaugurate the newly-built airport and subsequently address a 'jan sabha' (public rally)," said Dayal.

About 1.5 lakh people are expected to assemble for the rally that will last nearly an hour, after which the prime minister will depart from Ayodhya, he added.

The administration on Thursday had began work on putting up temporary wooden barricades on both sides of the recently redeveloped Ram Path, and other roads that will fall on his route on way to the railway station from the airport.

Sources said Modi will hold a roadshow on a stretch between the airport and the railway station and acknowledge the greetings of people of Ayodhya.

Large posters bearing Prime Minister Modi's image and carrying a message of welcome to the "holy city of Ayodhya" have been put up at various prominent locations in the temple town.

One huge poster put up on Ram Path near the new ceremonial gateway that leads to the Ramjanmabhoomi temple site, carries the message, "Prabhu Ram ki nagri mey aapka swagat hai" (Welcome to the city of Lord Ram) and names of Uttar Pradesh's urban development department and the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation.

"We're all set for the PM's visit tomorrow. City is being decorated with flowers. Beds have been reserved in various hospitals and at Rajarshi Dashrath Medical College, and security personnel are on their toes," the Ayodhya divisional commissioner said.

At the Sri Ram hospital in Ayodhya, a nursing staff on duty said 20 beds in a ward in the old hospital building and five ICU beds in the new building have been reserved.

'Reserved Ward' sign was put up in the ward that lay empty on Friday morning. Patients have been shifted to other wards, the nurse on duty said.

Kumar said heavy security has been deployed in the temple town in view of the PM's visit.

Besides the chief minister, Railway Minister Ashwani Vaishnav, Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia, local MPs and MLAs and few party functionaries will be present.

Prime Minister Modi's visit also comes less than a month before the 'pran pratishtha' (consecration) of the upcoming Ram temple.

A grand Ram temple is currently under construction in Ayodhya, with the consecration ceremony to be held on January 22, which will be attended by the prime minister.

Large number of people are expected to descend in Ayodhya close to the consecration ceremony, and the city is getting decked up for the big day.

A set of imposing sun-themed columns -- 'Surya Stambhs' have been installed along a prominent street in the holy city, which falls on the routes of his VVIP movement.

Along this road -- Dharm Path -- near Lata Mangeshkar Chowk, interpretation walls are being set up at regular intervals on both sides, depicting the life of Lord Ram.

Huge posters bearing images of the Ram temple, new airport and hailing Ayodhya as city of "Maryada, Dharm and Sanskriti" have been put up in various parts of the city.

During his Ayodhya visit, Modi will also flag off two new Amrit Bharat and six new Vande Bharat trains, his office said on Thursday.

Modi will launch projects worth more than Rs 11,100 crore to revamp civic facilities and develop world-class infrastructure in Ayodhya and projects worth over Rs 4,600 crore for other parts of Uttar Pradesh.

To enhance accessibility to the upcoming Ram temple, he will also inaugurate four newly redeveloped, widened and beautified roads in Ayodhya - Ram Path, Bhakti Path, Dharm Path, and Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Path, the PMO said.