A senior Railway official on Monday said that the movement of trains will be affected from January 16 to 22 as the work of doubling of tracks and electrification is being done on top priority ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony.
Which trains will be affected?
As per a PTI report, ten trains, including Vande Bharat, have been cancelled, while 35 trains including Doon Express will run on alternate routes. Fourteen other trains will be affected.
Rekha Sharma, the Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Northern Railway, Lucknow Division, mentioned that the Vande Bharat Express, operating from Ayodhya Cantt to Anand Vihar, was initially canceled until January 15 due to ongoing maintenance and improvement projects.
Now, the cancellation has been further extended till January 22, she added.
A Railways official stated that the Ayodhya railway section’s doubling is being given top priority in preparation for the consecration ceremony.
Helicopter services for devotees, increased railway capacity
Earlier, UP tourism and culture minister, Jaiveer Singh, announced plans to introduce helicopter services to accommodate the anticipated influx of devotees to Ayodhya. Singh confirmed that helicopter services for devotees would start before January 22, although a specific date was not given. Besides air services, there are also plans in progress to introduce water services, making it easier for devotees to travel to the sacred city.
In anticipation of the anticipated increase in visitors, Singh declared an expansion of railway capacity to better handle the surge of pilgrims journeying to Ayodhya for the significant event. This comprehensive transportation strategy is designed to improve accessibility and convenience for all participants.
(With PTI inputs)