The Ayodhya railway station, which is located in the holy city of Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, is undergoing a major redevelopment project to provide better facilities and services to the passengers. The project, which is inspired by the design of the Ram temple that is being constructed in the same city, is expected to be completed by December 31st, 2023.
The new railway station will have a capacity to handle 49,400 passengers every day and will offer various amenities such as cafeterias, recreational facilities, shopping malls, shops for puja needs, cloakroom, sick room, food plazas among others. The station will also have separate arrival and departure facilities for passengers and will be an IGBC certified-green station building.
The design of the building has been prepared in a way to save electricity using natural lights. The buildings will be equipped with triple-height atriums with skylights to facilitate natural light in the building. Waiting halls have also been planned on both the ground floor and the first floor. The building will also have ladies dormitories, gents dormitories, retiring rooms, staff quarters and a sewage treatment plant. Additionally, the infrastructure will have a second entry and an extended porch over the drop-off zone. Additionally, the building will have landscaping of the front circulating area and a large circulating area.
The platforms and bridges of the station will also be renovated with improved facilities to confer better connectivity and convenience to the travellers. The old Faizabad station now known as the Ayodhya Cantt is the only station connected with express trains, and only a few of them come to the Ayodhya junction. That’s why the footfall currently is around 3,000. The new railway station will cater to over 1 lakh devotees a day after Ram Mandir’s construction is complete.
The redevelopment work of the Ayodhya railway station is part of a larger development plan for Ayodhya ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election in 2024. The construction of a revamped Ayodhya railway station is currently underway. The project has faced some delays due to land acquisition issues but has now resumed its pace with full support from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Ayodhya railway station redevelopment project is expected to boost tourism and pilgrimage in Ayodhya as well as enhance its image as one of India’s most sacred cities. It will also showcase India’s technological prowess and cultural heritage in architecture and design.
