Skip the train, fly straight to Ram Mandir: This new flight takes you from Hisar to Ayodhya in under 2 hours

Direct flights from Hisar in Haryana to Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh are finally here and devotees are thrilled; will operate twice every week.

A new flight between Hisar in Haryana and Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh will operate twice per week -- on Fridays and Saturdays, the state government said here on Monday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the maiden flight from Hisar on Monday, boosting tourism and pilgrimage to Ayodhya.

"The inaugural flight landed at Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhya, at 12.35 pm, where it received a grand welcome with a traditional water cannon salute," the government said in a statement.

The Hisar-Ayodhya flight will operate on Fridays and Sundays every week. It will have a journey time of approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, it said. After landing at 12.35 pm, the flight will depart for Hisar at 1 pm, it said.

The route is being serviced by an ATR-72 aircraft with a seating capacity of 72.

The UP government said the flight showed an "encouraging start reflecting strong initial demand, with 61 passengers arriving in Ayodhya and 42 departing for Hisar on its first day.

Since the consecration of the Ram Mandir under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Ayodhya has witnessed an influx of lakhs of devotees from across India and abroad. Direct flights from cities like Hisar saves time and makes travel and convenient, according to the statement.

Moreover, the flight is expected to boost the local economy, providing growth opportunities for hotels, transport services, and other tourism-related businesses, it said.

Airport Director Vinod Kumar and staff greeted passengers with great enthusiasm. Passengers were offered roses, tilak was applied on their forehead and a cake was cut amid chants of 'Jai Shri Ram' to mark the occasion.

"We never imagined flying directly to Ayodhya from Hisar," said Kunal, a flier from Hisar said.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.