- UP will soon have 5 more airports and an International airport will also be ready in Jewar by end of 2024
- Indigo will operate on this route and the flight will commence effective from 11 January 2024 between Ahmedabad – Ayodhya – Ahmedabad (thrice a week)
- In the 2nd phase of development, the Maharshi Valmiki International Airport will be expanded to 5 lakh square feet, capacity will also be expanded to 3,000 passengers and runway will be expanded to 3,700 meters
- CISF takes over security of Ayodhya airport ahead of Ram Temple consecration
NE BUSINESS BUREAU
AYODHYA, JAN 11
The Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel Jyotiraditya M Scindia on Thursday inaugurated the direct flight between Ayodhya and Ahmedabad from New Delhi. With this inauguration, Ayodhya gets three direct flights a week from Ahmedabad.
The occasion was graced by the Chief Minister Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath, Minister of Tourism and Culture, Uttar Pradesh Jayveer Singh, Member of Parliament from Ayodhya Lallu Singh and Member of Parliament from Ahmedabad Dr Kirit Premjibhai Solanki.
Indigo will operate on this route and the flight will commence effective from 11 January 2024 between Ahmedabad – Ayodhya – Ahmedabad (thrice a week) as per the following schedule:
| Flt No. | From | To | Freq. | Dep. time | Arr. time | Aircraft | Effective from |
| 6E – 6375 | Ahmedabad | Ayodhya | .2.4.6. | 09:10 | 11:00 | Airbus | 11 January, 2024 |
| 6E – 112 | Ayodhya | Ahmedabad | .2.4.6. | 11:30 | 13:40 |
In his inaugural address, Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel Jyotiraditya M. Scindia said, “The direct flight from Ayodhya to Ahmedabad will give further boost to air connectivity between both cities. The Union Minister also said that the two cities represent India in true sense. He said that on one hand, Ahmedabad is a symbol of India’s economic strength and on the other hand, Ayodhya represents India’s spiritual & civilizational prowess. Air connectivity between the two cities will contribute to the economic growth, help travel & tourism grow as well”.
He also thanked Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath for his cooperation in allotting the required land for building the Ayodhya airport in record time of 20 months.
The Minister also reiterated that the airport is fulfilling the Prime Minister’s idea that the airports are not merely ‘airports’ but also the gateways to a region’s ethos, culture, and history. The outer structure of the Maharshi Valmiki International Airport structure is inspired by Ram Temple, and the terminal building through beautiful paintings and artefacts depicts the life journey of Lord Ram.
Talking about the growth of the civil aviation sector in Uttar Pradesh in the past 9 years, the Union Minister 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.
The minister also added that currently the Maharshi Valmiki International Airport is built in an area of 6,500 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 3,000 passengers in the next phase. Similarly, the runway which is 2,200 meter long will be expanded to 3,700 meters so that larger aircraft for international flights could also run from Ayodhya itself.
The minister also commended UP Govt’s work in civil aviation as the air connectivity has increased sharply in the last 9 years. The state was only connected to 18 cities connected in 2014 and is now connected to 41 cities. Similarly, the state had only 700 flight movements weekly in 2014, which has now increased to 1654 flight movements per week.
In his address, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath expressed his gratitude to Shri Jyotiraditya M Scindia for getting the development of Maharshi Valmiki Ayodhya International Airport completed within stipulated time. He also said that this new air connectivity from Ayodhya will open of further avenues of tourism, trade and investment.
Secretary Civil Aviation, Vumlunmang Vualnam, Joint Secretory Asungba Chuba Aao, Special Director, IndiGo, RK Singh were also present during the event.
CISF takes over security of Ayodhya airport
The Central Industrial Security Force on Wednesday took charge of the Ayodhya airport security with the deployment of more than 150 personnel, days before the high-profile consecration ceremony at the Ram temple on January 22, a spokesperson said.
The ‘Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhyadham’ is the country’s 68th civil airport terminal to come under the umbrella of the specialised Aviation Security Group (ASG) of the central force.
A formal induction ceremony was held at the airport on Wednesday for inducting the CISF squad. Representatives from the airline operators and various stakeholders were also present during the occasion, the spokesperson said.
The CISF is committed to providing 24×7 security coverage to the airport. This initiative aims to ensure secure passage for pilgrims and visitors to the holy city, contributing to a safe and enriching experience for all, he said.
The CISF, as per official sources, will provide an anti-terrorist and anti-sabotage cover to the airport that was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 30 last year.
The force will frisk passengers, check their baggage and secure the perimeter of the facility, they said.
An armed contingent of more than 150 CISF personnel under the command of a deputy commandant-rank officer has been sanctioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs for securing the Ayodhya airport.
