UP govt inks lease agreement with AAI on transfer of land for Ayodhya airport

At present, nine airports are functional in UP. Till 2017, just four airports in the state were connected to mere 25 destinations. Now, flights for 75 destinations across the country are available from the state, says Adityanath.

LUCKNOW UP’s civil aviation department, in the presence of chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday, signed a lease agreement with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) regarding the transfer of 317.855 acres land to the AAI for the Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport in Ayodhya.

The CM also said that better connectivity does not only save time, and eases congestion but also helps the region with better employment opportunities and development. (File Photo)

A total of 821 acres land was earmarked for this project. In the first phase, 317.8 acres land has been given on lease to the AAI, according to the state government. The state government had sanctioned ₹1,008.77 crore for the airport that would be developed in three phases. The first phase involves 2,200x45-metre-long runway and other amenities, it said.

“Today is an important day for us as the holy city is getting on the air traffic map. By 2023, work on the grand temple for Lord Ram will be complete. Along with the construction of the Ram Temple, we should work towards activating this airport,” said Adityanath.

Adityanath said, “Every common man’s religious sentiments are linked with the holy city of Ayodhya. This day marks the auspicious start of the creation of an international airport to be dedicated to Lord Shri Ram in Ayodhya.”

He went on to say that improved air connectivity in Uttar Pradesh over the last five years was a testament to PM Modi’s commitment and vision where he said that even the ones who wear ‘hawai chappals’ will now travel by air.

“At present, nine airports are functional in UP. Till 2017, just four airports in the state were connected to mere 25 destinations. Now, flights for 75 destinations across the country are available from the state,” said Adityanath.

The CM also said that better connectivity does not only save time, and eases congestion but also helps the region with better employment opportunities and development.

With both the central and UP governments hoping to make Ayodhya an international tourism hub after the work on Ram temple started, the international airport was an ambitious project in that direction to boost tourism and provide air connectivity to adjoining areas, he said.

Yogi Adityanath informed that the process of construction of 10 new airports was going on in the state on a war footing, and, currently the state had three functional international airports. “With the completion of Asia’s largest international airport in Jewar and the one in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh will become the biggest contributor to the country in terms of providing international air travel services,” he said.

UP will boast of 10 new airports, including five international ones, by next year.

Adityanath also praised the Ayodhya administration for the timely completion of acquiring the required land for the first phase of work.

He asked officials of the departments concerned to aim for making Ayodhya a water-secure and cleanest city in the country in the next five years.

Chief secretary Durga Shankar Mishra, additional chief secretary, UP, Civil aviation SP Goyal, AAI chairman Sanjiv Kumar, member (planning) of AAI AK Pathak, additional chief secretary (MSME & information) Navneet Sehgal, and director (Information) Shishir were also present on the occasion.

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