Patna, Oct 24 (IANS): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi following the Union Cabinet's approval of a project to double the railway tracks between Purauna Dham in Sitamarhi district (the birthplace of Goddess Sita) and Ayodhya (the birthplace of Lord Ram).

The approval, granted on Thursday, pertains to a 256 km railway line, which is expected to improve connectivity between these two important pilgrimage sites. At present, a single line is available between these two pilgrimage sites.

In a post shared on his official X handle (formerly Twitter), Nitish Kumar mentioned, “I had written to the Prime Minister on September 22, 2024, requesting the doubling of the railway track between the two locations.”

He expressed appreciation for the central government's approval, which comes with an estimated cost of ?4,563 crore.

Kumar noted that the project would enhance travel for devotees, allowing easier access to these sacred places, and extended his thanks to the Prime Minister for responding positively to his request.

The Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government has initiated a project to enhance tourist facilities and infrastructure around the Punaura Dham temple in Sitamarhi district, the revered birthplace of Goddess Sita (Janaki).

In a bid to support this development, the state government has decided to acquire 50 acres of land near the temple area. The process for land acquisition began in the third week of September 2024.

A high-level inspection of the site was carried out by Tourism Secretary Lokesh Kumar Singh, along with key officials including the Director of the Tourism Department, the Managing Director of the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation, and Sitamarhi District Magistrate Richi Pandey.

During that visit, the Tourism Secretary directed the District Magistrate to demarcate the land needed for this expansion.

Punaura Dham is an important stop for devotees and tourists visiting Ayodhya as part of the Ramayana Circuit pilgrimage, which aims to connect places linked to Lord Ram's life.

Additionally, the construction of a national highway linking Ayodhya and Punaura Dham is already underway, further improving connectivity and accessibility for pilgrims and tourists. This comprehensive development project is expected to boost tourism in the region and offer better facilities for devotees visiting these sacred sites.