The airport’s name, “Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhyadham,” pays tribute to Maharishi Valmiki, the sage attributed to composing the epic Ramayana, adding a cultural touch to the airport’s identity, a Central release stated.
The Cabinet meeting, headed by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi approved to name the Ayodhya airport after a sage and also granted it international airport status.
- The airport is designed to accommodate 600 peak-hour passengers
- It can handle 10 lakh passengers annually
- The second phase will include a new terminal building spanning 50,000 square meters.
The airport is paramount for realizing Ayodhya’s economic potential and its significance as a global pilgrimage site, opening doors to foreign pilgrims and tourists, a Cabinet release stated.
Also read: DHARAVI REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT, A BOON FOR 0.7 MILLION PEOPLE
Ayodhya, with its deep cultural roots, is strategically positioned to become an important economic hub and pilgrimage site. The airport’s potential to attract international pilgrims and businesses aligns with the city’s historical prominence, the release added.
The first phase of the airport is developed at a cost of more than Rs 1,450 crore. The airport’s terminal building will have 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 Ram Temple of Ayodhya.
Civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said the decision to make the Ayodhya airport an international airport will lead to the economic development of the area. It will also increase the importance of Ayodhya as a global pilgrimage destination with the arrival of foreign pilgrims and tourists, he said in a post on X.
