Modi Unveils $1.3 Billion Projects In Disputed Temple City

Swati Gupta and Rakesh Sharma
·2 min read
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(Bloomberg) -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated projects totaling 111 billion rupees ($1.3 billion) in the northern riverside town of Ayodhya, ahead of the opening of a long-anticipated and controversial temple in January.

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Hundreds braved a winter morning to line up along roads in the city as Modi began a tour in a Toyota sports utility vehicle, waving at crowds that showered him with rose petals and chanted slogans. The projects he unveiled included a new airport and a revamped railway station.

Ayodhya is widely believed by Hindu devotees to be the birthplace of the deity Ram. The temple was built after a decades-old movement that involved the destruction of a mosque that had stood in its place, and a bitter court battle. In 2019, India’s Supreme Court ruled construction could go ahead.

The city has undergone a facelift in recent years as authorities widened roads and built bridges and highways ahead of an anticipated influx of Hindu pilgrims. The airport, whose facade mirrors temple architecture, was also developed with the expectation of increased tourism, according to a government statement.

The temple is scheduled to host a grand opening on Jan. 22, with a high-profile guest list that includes the prime minister. It will come just months before the country holds a general election, and is expected to boost Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party’s chances as they fulfill one of their main poll promises.

“After the construction of Ram temple, there will be a massive surge in people coming to Ayodhya,” Modi said at an event after inaugurating various projects. “Keeping that in mind, our government is spending billions in infrastructure projects.”

Phase one of the airport development costs 14.5 billion rupees and it can serve about 1 million passengers annually. When fully upgraded, the aim is to handle 6 million passengers a year.

--With assistance from Sanjit Das.

(Updates with details on Modi’s tour and speech)

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