Devotees will now get the facility of electric buses to visit Ayodhya. As the construction of the grand temple nears its completion, a daily influx of a million devotees is expected to flood Ayodhya to seek ‘darshan’ of their revered Lord Shri Ram. To facilitate their journey to Ayodhya, the government is planning the construction of Janmabhoomi Path, Bhakti Path, and Ram Path, which are in progress.
Before the completion of these paths, the government of Uttar Pradesh, under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is set to launch an e-bus service in Ayodhya. This means that the e-bus service in Ayodhya will commence even before the construction of these paths. The government has allocated the purchase of 25 electric buses at the state level for this initiative.
It is expected that these buses will be available to Ayodhya Municipal Corporation in September. The responsibility for constructing workshops and charging stations for these buses has been entrusted to the Uttar Pradesh Jal Nigam’s C&DSD Unit 44. Apart from the construction of workshops and depots, an agency has been selected and allocated approximately 12 crore rupees for the construction of charging stations.
Previously, a trial of the e-bus service was conducted in Ayodhya during the Chaitra Ram Navami fair for the operation of electric buses. Buses were sent from the Lucknow depot for this purpose. Around half a dozen employees, including ARMs, from Lucknow were temporarily stationed here to oversee the arrangements. Charging stations for these buses were set up within the premises of the interstate bus terminal on the highway.
Following the success of the bus operation, it was decided to provide the e-bus service to Ayodhya for the convenience of Ram devotees coming from outside once the construction of the Ram temple and associated paths is completed.