Taking a step forward towards the development of Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport at Ayodhya, the Civil Aviation Department of the Government of Uttar Pradesh, in 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 to the latter on lease for the project.
Speaking on the occasion, the CM said, “Every common man’s religious sentiments are linked with the Holy city of Ayodhya. Today marks the auspicious beginning of the creation of an international airport to be dedicated to Lord Shri Ram in Ayodhya.”
He added that the improved air connectivity in Uttar Pradesh over the last five years is a testament to PM Modi’s commitment and vision where he said that even the ones who wear ‘Hawaii slippers’ will now travel in airplanes. “At present, nine airports are functioning in the state. 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,” he pointed out.
The CM also said that better connectivity does not only save time and eases congestion but also helps the region connect with better employment opportunities, ensuring the development of the area.
With both the Central and UP governments hoping to make Ayodhya an international tourism hub after the work on the Ram Temple has already started, the international airport is an ambitious project in that direction to boost tourism and provide air connectivity to adjoining areas, he emphasized.
CM Yogi Adityanath further informed that the process of construction of 10 new airports is going on in the state on a war footing, and, currently three International airports are functional. “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.
He also praised the Ayodhya administration for the timely completion of attaining the required land for the work of the first phase. “The land required for the International airport is only 86 acres of land left, which will also be completed in the next 2-3 months, we will take it forward with our full preparations,” he added.
The CM also directed the officials of the concerned departments to work with an aim to make Ayodhya a water-secure and the cleanest city in the country in the next five years. By the next year, the state of Uttar Pradesh will be ready to give 5 international airports to the country, and 19 airports in all, the Chief Minister concluded.