Ayodhya: Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in collaboration with SpiceJet launched flights from Ayodhya to eight key cities of the country on Thursday for seamless connectivity, said SpiceJet on X.

According to the statement, the new flight routes will connect Ayodhya with Delhi, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Patna, Darbhanga, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.

The immense demand emanating from the recent Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ram Temple has increased the tourism potential of Ayodhya and laid down a new path for economic and social development.

The flight services will be inaugurated by the Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Maharishi Valmiki International Airport at Ayodhya Dham built at a cost of Rs 350 crore, was inaugurated by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi; Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath; and Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Ayodhya's grand airport has been built by the Airports Authority of India after signing a MoU with the Government of Uttar Pradesh in April last year.
Phase 1 of 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 6500 sqm, 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.

The terminal building of Ayodhya Airport is also equipped with various sustainability features, like an insulated roofing system, LED lighting, rainwater harvesting, landscaping with fountains, a water treatment plant, a sewage treatment plant, a solar power plant and many other such features have been provided to meet GRIHA - 5-star ratings.

The airport will improve connectivity in the region, leading to a boost in tourism and business activities while generating new employment opportunities.
Meanwhile, the Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla at Ram Temple in Ayodhya was held on January 22. The Ram Lalla idol was unveiled at the Pran Pratishtha ceremony after the hour-long rituals in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who led the ceremony.

The event saw the participation of about 8,000 invitees, including 1,500-1,600 eminent guests. (With inputs from ANI)