Ayodhya under tight security ahead of PM's visit today

Ayodhya: Ayodhya is all geared up for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit on Saturday, with the city being decked up with flowers, murals and thematic ornamental columns amid heavy security deployment in the temple town.

Divisional Commissioner of Ayodhya, Gaurav Dayal said preparations are in full swing for the visit and despite dense fog in the city in the last two days, all arrangements are on course.

Modi will visit the town on Saturday to inaugurate the redeveloped Ayodhya railway station and a new airport. He will also address a public rally near the airport. "The Prime Minister is expected to reach Ayodhya airport somewhere around 10:45 am. After landing at the airport, he will move straight to Ayodhya railway station where he will inaugurate the redeveloped railway station. He will then return to the airport, inaugurate the newly-built airport and subsequently address a 'jan sabha' (public rally)," said Dayal.

About 1.5 lakh people are expected to assemble for the rally that will last nearly an hour, after which the prime minister will depart from Ayodhya, he added. The administration on Thursday had begun work on putting up temporary wooden barricades on both sides of the recently redeveloped Ram Path, and other roads that will fall on his route on way to the railway station from the airport.

Sources said Modi will hold a roadshow on a stretch between the airport and the railway station and acknowledge the greetings of people of Ayodhya.

Large posters bearing Prime Minister Modi's image and carrying a message of welcome to the "holy city of Ayodhya" have been put up at various prominent locations in the temple town. One huge poster put up on Ram Path near the new ceremonial gateway that leads to the Ramjanmabhoomi temple site, carries the message, "Prabhu Ram ki nagri mey aapka swagat hai" (Welcome to the city of Lord Ram) and names of Uttar Pradesh's Urban Development department and the Ayodhya Municipal Corporation.