CM Yogi Adityanath welcomes first bus from Janakpur to Ayodhya

Lucknow, May 12: With PM Narendra Modi flagging off the Janakpur Ayodhya bus service, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday received the first bus of Indo-Nepal bus service from Janakpur to Ayodhya.

The bus, which is also known as the Nepal -India Friendship Bus Service, completed its maiden trip as it arrived at Ayodhya. The bus was launched jointly by Prime Minister Modi and his Nepali counterpart KP Sharma Oli in Janakpur as part of the Ramayan Circuit Bus Service.

Welcoming the bus, CM Yogi Adityanath said that the foundation stone laying of Rs 133 crore was made during the ' Dipotsav ' programme in Ayodhya last year. The Government of India has also taken the task to complete the ram-Janki route. The route will only take 6 to 7 hours from 10 to 12 hours to reach Ayodhya to Janakpur.

Various schemes have been started like darshan offerings and the Ramayana circuit were introduced to promote tourism. It is being added to Ayodhya, Nadigaram, Sharagaverapur, Chitrakoot and Sri Lanka to complete the same udrishey. Janakpur is also part of the link to Ayodhya

The new bus route is aimed at increasing tourism between the two countries. The Chief Minister offered saffron scarves to the male passengers, while state Tourism Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi welcomed the women. The passengers were also offered boxes of sweets.

The reception gate was decked with flowers and many religious tableaus were present as drums played to receive the debut passengers of the cross-border bus service linking the two nations as part of the “Ramayan Circuit”, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepali counterpart K.P. Sharma Oli on Friday.

Adityanath also unveiled a special stamp published by the Indian Postal Department to commemorate the ‘Deep Diwali’ held by the state BJP government in 2016 on Diwali on the banks of the river Saryu in Ayodhya. People from the temple town were excited about the event and were seen jostling with each other outside the ‘Ram Katha’ Park to receive and mingle with the guests who arrived.

Nepalese pilgrims who took this bus service from Janakpur, the birth place of Sita, expressed their happiness at taking the first journey to the land of Ram and said the 520-km trip was comfortable.

The bus entered from Gorakhpur and travelled along the Sant Kabeernagar highway after which it was received by district and police officials and escorted to Ayodhya.