Ayodhya gets first Air India Express flights to Bengaluru, Kolkata

Days ahead of the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha event in India, Indian Union Civil Aviation Minister of Jyotiraditya Scindia inaugurated the first Air India Express flight between Ayodhya to Bengaluru and between Ayodhya to Kolkata.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was at Lucknow, received the boarding pass for the first flight between Kolkata and Ayodhya.

Speaking at the inauguration event, Minister Scindia said that the development of Uttar Pradesh is reaching new heights under the leadership of Indian Prime Minister Narednra Modi.

"If we look at the population of Uttar Pradesh, almost 70 per cent of the population of the US is in Uttar Pradesh. Half of Europe's population is in Uttar Pradesh. We celebrated Diwali last November, the second Diwali was on December 3 when the election results were declared and not for the entire country but for the entire world the third Diwali is going to be celebrated on the coming 22nd," Scindia said.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who joined the inauguration event through video conference said that along with new airports, four international airports have come up in the state.

"In the last nine years, not only new airports have come up in Uttar Pradesh but with 4 international airports, Uttar Pradesh has become an important state in the field of air connectivity. PM Modi inaugurated the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya on 30th December," the Chief Minister said.

Earlier on Saturday, an airport official said that routine flights at Ayodhya's Maharishi Valmiki International Airport will begin and the number of flights at the airport will increase as well.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in the temple city of Ayodhya after inaugurating the Ayodhya Railway Station on December 30.

The Airports Authority of India undertook the development of Ayodhya Airport as per the MoU signed with the Government of Uttar Pradesh in April last year. The state-of-the-art airport has been developed at a cost of more than Rs 1450 crore.

The airport's terminal building has an area of 6,500 square metres and is equipped to serve about 10 lakh passengers annually. The facade of the terminal building depicts the temple architecture of the upcoming Shri Ram Mandir of Ayodhya.

The interiors of the terminal building are decorated with local art, paintings and murals depicting the life of Lord Ram.

(ANI)