Ram Mandir: Aviation minister flags off Ahmedabad-Ayodhya direct flight

Indigo will operate on the Ahmedabad - Ayodhya route, thrice a week, Thursday onwards

The Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel, Jyotiraditya Scindia, flagged off the first direct flight between Ahmedabad and Ayodhya on Thursday. Starting Thursday, there will be three flights per week between the two cities, run by Indigo. In the official release by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Scindia highlighted that this new route will help boost air connectivity between the cities and contribute to the country's economic growth.

The start of the flight route coincides with the much-awaited inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya 12.20 pm on January 22, 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and many dignitaries, including athletes, film stars, industrialists and spiritual leaders, will also be present in Ayodhya to attend the mega event.

The Union Minister said that the two cities bring together two parts of India's identity, Ahmedabad symbolising the country's economic strength, and Ayodhya representing India's spiritual prowess. Air connectivity between the two cities will contribute to the economic growth of both cities by boosting domestic travel and tourism.

Maharishi Valmiki International Airport expansion

The Ayodhya International Airport was officially renamed the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in December 2023. The outer structure of the airport was inspired by the soon-to-be-inaugurated Ram Mandir, which depicts beautiful paintings and artefacts that depict the life of Lord Ram.

The minister added that the Maharshi Valmiki International Airport currently covers an area of 6,500 square metres with the capacity to handle 600 air passengers during peak hours. This will be expanded to 50,000 square meters, along with the capacity to handle 3,000 passengers in the next phase. Similarly, the runway which is 2,200 metre long, will be expanded to 3,700 metres to accommodate better larger aircraft for international flights that could also run directly from Ayodhya itself.

The flight plan also adds to the growth of the civil aviation sector in Uttar Pradesh over the last decade. The state has increased its connectivity from 18 cities in 2014, to 41 cities today. Moreover, in 2014 the state had 700 flight movements weekly, which has now grown to 1,654 flight movements per week.

Scindia added that the state would soon also have five more airports, as well as an international airport ready in Jewar by the end of 2024.