As the first tri-weekly flight by IndiGo connecting Ahmedabad and Ayodhya was launched on Thursday ahead of the much-awaited consecration ceremony of Ram temple, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that over 100 flights will be landing and take off at Ayodhya airport on January 22.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony that took place virtually, the chief minister said that around 100 chartered planes carrying guests to attend the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony are expected to land at the Ayodhya airport on January 22. While Adityanath joined the function from Lucknow, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia joined from the national capital.
The ceremonial inauguration took place amid great enthusiasm, with CM Adityanath personally receiving the boarding pass for the inaugural flight. He noted that a large number of plane landings will also help check the potential of the newly-built airport. Speaking on the occasion, Scindia said five new airports will be inaugurated in Uttar Pradesh in one month that will take the total number of airports in the state to 19.
Talking about the growth of the civil aviation sector in Uttar Pradesh in the past 9 years, the Scindia shared that Uttar Pradesh had only 6 airports in 2014, and now the state has 10 airports including the newly inaugurated airport in Ayodhya. By the next month, UP will have 5 more airports, one airport each in Azamgarh, Aligarh, Moradabad, Shravasti, and Chitrakoot. Apart from this an international airport will also be ready in Jewar by the end of 2024. In totality, UP will have 19 airports in the future.
Ayodhya airport will be expanded and the runway will be extended that will allow landing of bigger aircraft and operation of international flights, Scindia said. The minister also added that currently the Maharshi Valmiki International Airport is built in an area of 6500 square meters with the capacity of handling 600 air passengers at peak hours which will be expanded to 50,000 square meters and the capacity will also be expanded to 3000 passengers in the next phase. Similarly, the runway which is 2200 meter long will be expanded to 3700 meters so that larger aircraft for international flights could also run from Ayodhya itself.
Highlighting the significant developments in Uttar Pradesh's aviation infrastructure, Scindia remarked, "PM Modi and UP CM Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the Ayodhya Airport and Railway Station on December 30. We started the first flight between Ayodhya and Delhi on the same day, operated by IndiGo and Air India Express."He added, "Today, a new history is being created. We all witnessed New Year's excitement on the holy land of Ayodhya on December 30, when a grand and new Ayodhya airport was unveiled in the presence of PM Modi." Secretary Civil Aviation, Vumlunmang Vualnam, Joint Secretory Asungba Chuba Aao, Special Director, IndiGo, RK Singh were also present during the event. The Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on December 30. On that day, IndiGo and Air India Express operated flights to Ayodhya. The consecration ceremony at the Ram temple will be held on January 22.