AYODHYA, Dec 2 : The first phase of an international airport being built here will be completed by December 15, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Saturday.
Adityanath made the announcement after inspecting the construction work at the airport — Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport — along with Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation General V K Singh (retd).
The first phase of the airport will be completed a month before the inauguration of the Ram Temple here on January 22 next year.
The chief minister and the Union ministers also held a review meeting with officials related to the airport’s construction.
Talking to reporters, Adityanath said the holy city of Lord Shri Ram, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, is becoming a new Ayodhya of new India.
The chief minister said that earlier there was a very small airstrip in Ayodhya measuring only 178 acres, adding it has now been designed as a big international airport.
He said the construction work of the new airport is going on a war footing by the Airports Authority of India after the state government provided 821 acres of land.
People will get the infrastructure necessary for the development of Ayodhya, Adityanath said, adding the government is making serious efforts to restore the city’s glory.
Union minister Scindia said an attempt has been made to reflect the cultural potential of the airport in Ayodhya.
“In the first phase, the airport will be spread across 65,000 square feet. Its capacity will be to handle two to three flights every hour. Work is on to build a 2,200- metre-long runway. It means that Boeing 737 and Airbus 319 and 320 will be able to land at this airport. Initially, there is an airport apron for eight aircraft,” Scindia told reporters.
He also said that soon approval from the Cabinet will be taken for the second phase.
“In the second phase, as already said by the chief minister (Adityanath), the length of the runway will be increased from 2,200 metres to 3,700 metres. In other words, the length of the runway will be around four kilometres, so that international aircraft like Boeing 787 and Boeing 777 can land in Ayodhya,” Scindia said.
He added that the second phase of the airport will be of 50,000 square metres.
“Ayodhya city is a shining star on the national map, and it should be a shining star on the international map as well,” the Union minister said, adding that all of us are committed to fulfil this promise.
Scindia also remembered his grandmother Vijaya Raje Scindia who was a BJP leader during the Ram Temple movement in Ayodhya.
“I consider it my good fortune that today I got the privilege of applying Ayodhya’s soil on my forehead in the holy city, the birthplace of Lord Shri Ram. Today is also an emotional moment for me because my ‘Aaji Amma’ (referring to his grandmother) had a very emotional attachment with the soil of Ayodhya throughout her life.”
Earlier, Chief Minister Adityanath also performed ‘aarti’ and ‘darshan puja’ at the Hanumangarhi temple here. After this, he offered prayers at the Ram Temple.
He prayed for the welfare, happiness and prosperity of the country and the people of the state, the state government said in a statement.
The two Union ministers and Additional Chief Secretary (Civil Aviation) S P Goyal also offered prayers at Hanumangarhi and Ram Temple, the statement added.
After having the ‘darshan’ of Ram Lalla, Adityanath enquired about the progress of construction of the Ram Temple.
The members of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust briefed the chief minister regarding the construction of the temple, the statement said. (PTI)
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