Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated projects totaling 111 billion rupees ($1.3 billion) in the northern riverside town of Ayodhya, ahead of the opening of a long-anticipated and controversial temple in January.
Hundreds braved a winter morning to line up along roads in the city as Modi began a tour in a Toyota sports utility vehicle, waving at crowds that showered him with rose petals and chanted slogans. The projects he unveiled included a new airport and a revamped railway station.