Declaring a holiday for the educational institutions, state minister Brijmohan Agrawal, who handles the Religious Trust and Endowment, School and Higher Education as well as Culture and Tourism portfolios, said in a presser a weekly free train travel scheme for Ayodhya has also been planned.

“As per Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s promise, the people of Chhattisgarh will get to travel free by train to Ayodhya to have darshan of Ram Lalla. The state government will ink a memorandum of understanding with Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) for a weekly train in which 850 to 1000 devotees can travel till Ayodhya as part of this scheme,” the minister said.

“Special care will be taken of the elderly and disabled in the train. They can travel with an assistant. There will be a doctor on board. Accommodation and food for the travellers will be made by the state government,” Agrawal added.

Earlier on Tuesday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had also directed all educational institutions across the state to remain closed on January 22 for the same. The chief minister has also declared January 22 as a dry day across the state. Liquor shops will remain closed across UP on the day.

“Considering the significance of the consecration ceremony of the eagerly awaited new idol of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya Dham, the CM has declared a holiday in educational institutions on January 22,” an official release said.

Besides UP, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant Wednesday declared a public holiday on January 22, in the state in the wake of the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony of Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya.

“There will be a public holiday only for government servants along with schools,” Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, during a presser after the cabinet meeting.

Maharashtra minister Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha has also written a letter to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, requesting him to declare January 22 a public holiday in the state to mark the consecration of Ayodhya Ram temple. He also demands that instructions be given to everyone to celebrate ‘Deepotsav’ across the state.