Government strengthens healthcare facilities in Ayodhya

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Monday said it has strengthened the medical facilities in Ayodhya ahead of the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple next week.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to perform the ''Pran Pratishtha'' of the idol of Lord Ram at the grand temple in Ayodhya on January 22 in the presence of more than 8,000 guests.

Lakhs of devotees are expected to throng the temple from January 23 onwards and elaborate arrangements are being made in the Uttar Pradesh town for the consecration ceremony and the visit of the devotees.

Secretary in the information and broadcasting ministry Apurva Chandra said a 120-bed hospital in Ayodhya has been upgraded and emergency beds have been added to it.

He said the 350-bed Rajarshi Dashrath Autonomous State Medical College in Ayodhya too has been upgraded with the addition of 200 beds, including 50 emergency beds.

A team from the Trauma Centre at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi has been dispatched to Ayodhya to train 200 paramedics in the temple town to deal with medical emergencies, Chandra said.

The government will also set up emergency response teams at Ayodhya during the ''Pran Pratishtha'' ceremony and allied programmes.

Doordarshan has lined up special programmes in the run-up to the temple consecration ceremony.

Besides the live telecasts, Doordarshan carried a special news bulletin titled ''Ram Ki Paidi'' from January 1 to January 15.

The public broadcaster has been airing a special live programme titled ''Shri Ram Ayodhya Aaye Hain'', which will include a daily Ayodhya round-up, guest discussions, special stories and vox-pop.

A media centre is being set up at Ram Katha Sangrahalay in Ayodhya where large LED screens will be installed to facilitate the viewing of the telecast.