‘Ram Path’ to link Ayodhya and Chitrakoot for re-vibrating Ramayana pilgrimage route.

Yogi initiative: ‘Ram Path’ connecting Ayodhya and Chitrakoot to build a tourism circuit relating Ramayana.

Pankaj Shah | TNN | Lucknow | April 8, 2017:: The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh is planning to construct an expressway between Lord Ram’s birthplace in Ayodhya and Chitrakoot where he is believed to have spent part of his 14 years in exile.

Proposed to be named as `Ram Path’, the 220-km sixlane Greenfield expressway is being planned to start from Faizabad, go through seven districts–Kaushambi, Allahabad, Pratapgarh, Amethi, Rae Bareli, Sultanpur and Ambedkarnagar–in Central UP to connect with Chitrakoot in the Bundelkhand region.

UP industries minister Satish Mahana confirmed to TOI on Friday that the proposal was mooted during the recent review meeting of UP CM Adiya Nath Yogi. “The state government is studying the feasibility of the expressway and will soon come up with a proposal to get it executed,” he said.

Recently , the Chhattisgarh government has proposed to build a `Ram Van Gaman Path’ to connect Ratanpur with Ramoram via Shivrinarayan, Sirpur Arang, Fingeshwar, Sihawa, Jagdalpur and Sukma. This will be the third expressway in UP after the 302-km Agra Lucknow and the proposed 349-km Purvanchal Expressway connecting Lucknow with Ballia.

The Purvanchal Expressway, proposed during pressway, proposed during the previous Akhilesh Yadav government, will start from Lucknow, pass through six districts -Barabanki, Amethi, Sultanpur, Azamgarh, Mau and Ghazipur -to connect the state’s eastern most district of Ballia.

The sources said that the state government was keen to give an expressway to the Bundelkhand region to woo industries. The CM has already announced incentives for the industries which would be set up in Bundelkhand. “The state government is planning to set up Bundelkhand Development Board for the region’s economic growth,” said another senior official.

While Ayodhya has been at the centre of BJP’s political agenda, the ruling Yogi government in UP has shown its keenness in developing Chitrakoot, known to have religious importance among Hindus.Recently, the CM instructed officials to ensure 24 hours power supply to both Ayodhya and Chitrakoot.