An airport in Ayodhya? Centre in talks with UP, says Hardeep Singh Puri

The Uttar Pradesh government has started discussions with the Centre to establish an airport in Ayodhya, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in Parliament on Thursday.

"At present, Airports Authority of India (AAI) is in receipt of a proposal from the state government of UP indicating that the state government will develop the existing airstrip through state construction and designed services (UP Jal Board) under regional connectivity scheme (RCS)-UDAN," Puri said in written reply to a question.

On the topic of turning Gorakhpur airport into an international airport, Puri said that the UP government is unable to give 60 acres of extra land, which the AAI asked for, as it is a "forest land".