Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the holy city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh today to inaugurate a new international airport. Ayodhya holds deep religious significance as the birthplace of Lord Ram and is one of the seven most important pilgrimage sites for Hindus. Millions of devotees visit each year to pay obeisance at the sacred Ram Janmabhoomi site.
PM Modi’s itinerary for the day included visiting the Ram Janmabhoomi temple construction premises as well as performing puja at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple. He reviewed the progress of construction of the grand stone temple, which is nearing completion. Modi also witnessed the beautiful Ganga Aarti ceremony performed on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya in the evening.
After finishing the religious programs, Modi formally inaugurated the new Kushinagar International Airport around 2pm. Kushinagar is the eastern Indian city where Gautama Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana or final death over 2,500 years ago. The airport will greatly enhance facilities for tourists and pilgrims travelling between the two major Buddhist and Hindu religious destinations in India. At the new terminal, PM Modi addressed a sizeable gathering and highlighted the significance of boosting connectivity to places of spiritual heritage.
Modi noted that the Ayodhya and Kushinagar airports will expand transportation access and fuel a rise in pilgrimage tourism. This will help preserve and spread awareness of India’s immensely rich spiritual traditions globally. He envisioned Ayodhya emerging as an economic powerhouse in the coming decades due to the tremendous influx of visitors to the Ram Janmabhoomi site.
The new airport was constructed at an estimated cost of over 250 crore rupees. Officials aim to eventually process up to 1,200 passengers per day with a starting capacity of 300 passengers during peak hours. Direct air links with major Indian metropoles like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Hyderabad will make Ayodhya far more accessible for domestic and international pilgrims alike.
The day’s events underscored the government’s focus on augmenting infrastructure in culturally prized towns to stimulate local progress, jobs and tourism. Ayodhya’s new international airport is poised to serve as a driver of the city’s growth and prosperity in the years ahead, similar to how Lord Ram epitomized ancient virtues for those living in his times. It is hoped that Ayodhya’s new international airport is set to be a catalyst for the city’s growth and progress in the 21st century.
