Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday launched Indigo Airlines’ direct air service between Ayodhya and Ahmedabad.

Speaking at a virtual event here, he noted, “With this direct flight, Ayodhya has become directly connected to Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad is the second place after Delhi to be connected to Ayodhya through air service. Starting from January 15, there will also be flight services between Ayodhya and Mumbai.”

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He said another flight service between Delhi and Ayodhya will start on January 16.

Talking about the improved air services in the state, Adityanath mentioned that the number of air passengers in the state increased from 59.97 lakh in the financial year 2016-17 to 96.02 lakh in the financial year 2022-23, representing a growth rate of 29.46 per cent in the past three years.

He informed that in 2016-17, Lucknow airport received 39.68 lakh passengers, Varanasi 19.16 lakh, Gorakhpur 54,000, and Prayagraj received 45,000 passengers.

In 2022-23, however, Uttar Pradesh recorded a massive jump in the tourists’ footfall, with Lucknow receiving 52.20 lakh, Varanasi 25.21 lakh, Gorakhpur 7.18 lakh, and Prayagraj 5.71 lakh passengers.

The chief minister said five years ago, Ayodhya had a small airstrip, but today Maharishi Valmiki International Airport is operational. He said Ayodhya is now a sought after destination for everyone, and the government has improved its connectivity by road, rail, and air, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision.

Providing details about the Ayodhya International Airport, he stated that the state government allocated 821 acres of land for it and the Ministry of Civil Aviation developed a world-class airport within the given timeframe.

On IndiGo Airlines’ presence in Uttar Pradesh, he mentioned that the airlines is providing flight services from eight cities in of the state — Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Kanpur, Agra, Prayagraj, Bareilly, and Ayodhya. The number of flights is also continuously increasing, he said.

Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya on January 22 is not just eagerly awaited by 140 crore Indians, but also by people from abroad.

Highlighting the rapid growth in Uttar Pradesh’s aviation sector, he mentioned that while there were 700 aircraft movements per week in the state in 2014, the number has now increased to 1,654 aircraft movements per week, recording a growth of 137 times. He announced that soon, air services will also commence in Aligarh, Azamgarh, Chitrakoot, and Shravasti.

R K Singh, Special Director, IndiGo Airlines said the airlines operates 165 flights per day from seven airports in Uttar Pradesh. He assured that there will be further expansion in the coming days. Providing details about the new flight between Ayodhya and Ahmedabad, he mentioned that flights will be available on three days a week from both the destinations.