Ayodhya Airport (IATA Code: AYJ), officially named Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhya Dham, is an international airport serving Ayodhya and Faizabad in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India.
The airport is located in Faizabad, next to NH-27 and NH-330. In February 2014, the Government of Uttar Pradesh made an agreement with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to develop the airport. Airport Construction started in Feb 2022. On December 30, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the airport, and flight operations began on January 10, 2024.
In December 2023, The official name was changed to “Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhya Dham” after the name of Maharishi Valmiki, the attributed author of Ramayana, to represent the Ramayana-based theme of the airport.
On January 5, the Union Cabinet approved a proposal to name Ayodhya Airport ‘Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhya Dham.’
The Ayodhya airport is being made into an international airport, says Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. This decision will boost the area’s economic development and increase Ayodhya’s significance as a global pilgrimage site. By welcoming foreign pilgrims and tourists, the airport will help Ayodhya gain more prominence as a tourist destination.
प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी की अध्यक्षता में कैबिनेट ने अयोध्या हवाईअड्डा को एक अंतर्राष्ट्रीय हवाईअड्डा के रूप में और उसका नाम “महर्षि वाल्मीकि अंतर्राष्ट्रीय हवाईअड्डा, अयोध्याधाम” रखे जाने को स्वीकृति देकर देश-विदेश के श्रद्धालुओं को एक नवीन खुशखबरी दी है।
इससे न केवल… pic.twitter.com/IYV4uOtzuR
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) January 5, 2024After getting off the plane at Ayodhya, a passenger expressed happiness about being a part of the historic flight. This flight took place just a few weeks before the scheduled ‘Pran Pratishtha’ (consecration ceremony) of the grand Ram temple, which is currently being built in the city.
#WATCH | Baskar Shukla, one of the passengers says, " This place is holy and sacred. This is Lord Ram's place, there is no other place which is as holy as this…those who have taken birth here are very lucky…I can't express my happiness…" pic.twitter.com/z4om940DpL
— ANI (@ANI) December 30, 2023CISF now handles security at Ayodhya airport.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) took over security at Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya Dham on January 10, according to a statement by the CISF.
Terminal 1
Terminal 1 is the airport’s first terminal and covers an area of 6,500 sq.m. It accommodates 300 passengers during peak hours and can handle 1 million annually. It has an apron for four aircraft, parking spaces for vehicles, a fuel farm, a fuel station, a fire station, an ATC tower, and other facilities. The terminal started handling flights on January 10, 2024.
Terminal 2
Terminal 2 is the second phase of the airport’s development, covering an area of 30,000 sq.m. and accommodating over 5-7 million passengers annually. It has eight aerobridges and an apron for parking eight Airbus A320 and Boeing 737-type aircraft, with plans to increase to 16 in the third phase. Terminal 2 also features a garden for passenger recreation and a larger parking space. As of November 2023, it is under bidding process.
Terminal 3
Terminal 3 is the third and final phase of the airport’s development. It will be bigger than terminals 1 and 2, covering over 50,000 sq.m. It will have an apron for eight widebody aircraft, a garden, parking spaces, a new ATC tower, a giant fire station, and other utility facilities.
Quick Facts about the Terminal:
The Decor
The airport is adorned with murals, paintings, and local art, all depicting the life of Lord Rama, and is equipped with modern facilities.
Distance from Ram Mandir
Maharishi Valmiki International Airport is only 15 km from Ayodhya’s main city.
Per annum capacity
Maharishi Valmiki International Airport aims to serve up to 10 lac passengers annually.
sustainability
The Maharishi Valmiki International Airport has taken steps towards sustainability by incorporating various eco-friendly elements into its infrastructure. These elements include the installation of a solar power plant, fountains, rainwater harvesting systems, sewage treatment plants, LED lighting, insulated roofing, and more.
Commercial services
Starting January 6, 2024, the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport will offer commercial services. From January 11 onwards, three weekly flights will fly from Ahmedabad to Ayodhya.
Uttar Pradesh will have five additional airports within a month, as confirmed by Jyotiraditya Scindia.
The Civil Aviation Minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia, announced that Uttar Pradesh will welcome five new airports within a month. Expanding the Ayodhya airport runway will enable larger planes to land and international flights to operate.
The state will have 19 airports once the five new ones are constructed in Azamgarh, Aligarh, Moradabad, Chitrakoot, and Shravasti.
Additionally, the second phase of expansion for the Ayodhya airport will commence soon, and more flights will connect the city as the Ram temple’s Pran Pratishtha (consecration ceremony) is scheduled for January 22, 2024.
100 Chartered Planes Expected to Land at Ayodhya Airport for Pran Pratishtha
UP CM Yogi Adiyanath
Approximately 100 chartered planes are expected to land at Ayodhya airport on January 22 to attend the ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony at the Ram Temple.
The CM, Yogi Adityanath, said that the upcoming event will evaluate the potential of the Ayodhya airport.
