Yogi Adityanath to visit Ayodhya Ram temple site, inspect work: Officials

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is slated to visit Ayodhya on Thursday to take stock of preparations ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the temple town on December 30, officials said.

There has been a delay due to dense fog wrapping the city since early morning but he is expected to arrive soon, they said.

After arriving, he will first visit the Hanumangarhi temple and pay obeisance to Lord Hanuman. Following this, he will have a "darshan" of Ram Lalla and then inspect the ongoing construction work of the Ram temple, a senior official told PTI.

Ramesh Das, a 'pujari' at the ancient Hanumangarhi temple said, "We have received information that he will be coming to our temple to pay obeisance to Hanumanji".

Any dignitary, customarily, after arriving in the city first visits the Hanumangarhi temple, abode of the residing deity of Ayodhya, he said.

Sources said that the chief minister may also inspect the newly built airport of Ayodhya.

However, there is no official word on it yet.

Prime Minister Modi will visit the temple town on December 30 to inaugurate the redeveloped Ayodhya railway station and the airport. He will also address a rally, officials had said earlier.

The consecration ceremony of the Ram temple will be held on January 22 and it will be attended by the prime minister.

A ceremonial gateway to the Ramjanmabhoomi temple site has been erected in front of the Birla Dharmshala and workers are giving finishing touches to it. The gateway is located near Hanumangarhi temple and leads to the site of the upcoming temple.

Heavy security has been deployed around the Hanumangarhi temple and roads leading to the temple complex construction site.

A massive crowd is 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 city.

Most of the Ram temple compound here will be a green area with hundreds of trees and the complex itself will be "atmanirbhar", the temple's trust had said on Tuesday, underlining features like its own sewage and water treatment plants, a fire brigade post and a dedicated power line.

About 70 per cent of the 70-acre complex will be a green area, Ram temple trust general secretary Champat Rai told reporters here.

"The green area includes portions which are very dense, and in some segments of it, even sunlight hardly filters through," he said. About 600 existing trees are preserved in the green belt.