Ram Nath Kovind will be 1st President to pray at Ram Lalla temple at Ayodhya

Ayodhya: Ram Nath Kovind will be the first President of the country to pray at the Ram Lalla temple here on August 29, the eve of Janmashtami festival.

The President will be on a four-day visit to Uttar Pradesh from August 26.

Mr Kovind will travel to Ayodhya from Lucknow by Presidential special train, second time in two months time.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is expected to visit Ayodhya on Wednesday to inspect the arrangements for the President's visit.

The President will be accorded a warm welcome by the seers’ community at a special function proposed at the Ram Katha Park. He will also inaugurate the Ramayan mela at Ram Katha Park.

State Governor Anandiben Patel and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will also accompany the President, officials here on Tuesday confirmed.

The President will offer prayers at the Hanuman Garhi temple and visit Kanak Bhawan. Mr Kovind will witness the ongoing construction work of Ram Mandir and pray at the make shift Ram Lalla temple.

The presidential train will cover a distance of 135km in around 2 hours and 20 minutes.

According to the officials, the President will leave for Ayodhya from Charbagh railway station around 0910 hrs on August 29. The Presidential train is expected to reach the Ayodhya railway station around 1130 hrs.

As per the programme after reaching Ayodhya, the President will leave for Ram Janmabhoomi and offer prayers at the makeshift Ram temple.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai would accompany the President to the Ram Janmabhoomi.

Mr Rai is expected to apprise Kovind about the ongoing construction work of the temple.

The President will return to Lucknow the same day. The Presidential train will leave Ayodhya around 1530 hrs and is expected to reach Lucknow around 1820 hrs.

All railway stations between Lucknow and Ayodhya will be put on high alert. In Lucknow, the President will stay at the Raj Bhawan.

The special Presidential train from New Delhi is expected to reach Lucknow soon as senior railway officials are working overtime to decorate the Ayodhya and Lucknow stations along with others stations between Lucknow and Ayodhya.

Security would be tightened in the entire route besides a pilot engine would lead the Presidential train.

This will be Kovind’s second visit to Uttar Pradesh by a Presidential train. On June 25, he had come to his home town Kanpur.

Meanwhile, as per the scheduled four-day programme of the President, he will reach Lucknow on August 26 morning and from the airport will directly go to Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, a central university to attend the ninth convocation as a chief guest.

On August 27, he will attend a function at the Sainik School in Lucknow and on August 28 will go to Gorakhpur to lay the foundation of Ayush University and inaugurate a hospital of the Gorakhnath University. (UNI)