Madhurima Ray
New Delhi, July 22 : Road Transport and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari released the draft notification on Wednesday that the Chaurasi Koshi Parikrama Marg in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh has been declared a National Highway. Gadkari informed that about 80 km of Ring Road in Ayodhya and 275 km of Ayodhya Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama Marg will be made National Highway. Tourists from the country and abroad will be able to do 84 Kosi Parikrama in Ayodhya through this four-lane road.
There are three types of Parikrama in King Dasharatha’s Ayodhya-84 Kosi, 14 Kosi and Panchkosi Parikrama. Of these 14 Kosi Parikrama are located in the middle of the city, while the other two Parikramas are in the Awadh region around the Ayodhya district. The Parikrama Yatra starts from Makhauda Dham in Basti district, located 20 km north of Ayodhya. After visiting the 21 halts falling in five districts, the yatra is completed. People from all over the country and abroad come to Ayodhya every year for Panchkosi and Chaudah (14) Kosi Parikrama. The Saints circumambulate Ayodhya in eighty-four Kosi. This Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama Marg spreads for 275.35 km in five districts, including Ayodhya, Ambedkar Nagar, Barabanki and Gonda district.
The ‘Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama’ is a nearly 300-km-long pilgrimage route that devotees take around 45 days to cover barefooted to pay obeisance at vital places linked with Lord Krishna. On Wednesday Gadkari tweeted ‘Chaurasi Koshi Parikrama Marg’ as National Highway in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
In a separate tweet the Union Minister further announced that construction work of four/six Lane Greenfield Ludhiana- Rupnagar National Highway (NH- 205k package- ||) from Bounker to Behlolpur including the proposed Ludhiana Bypass stretch, has been approved under Bharatmala Pariyojana with a budget of Rs 1,488.23 crore. Gadkari also said draft notification has been issued declaring road between Bhandara-Mohadi-Tumsar-Barpeta-Balaghat as National Highway in the states of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.