Lucknow, Dec 29 (IANS): The airport in Ayodhya, which will be inaugurated on Saturday, has been renamed "Maharishi Valmiki International Airport Ayodhya Dham".

The airport is being named after the legendary poet Valmiki, who is celebrated as the author of the epic Ramayana.

The airport was earlier called the "Maryada Purshottam Shri Ram Ayodhya International Airport".

The newly-constructed airport will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 30, days before the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.

The grand consecration ceremony will be held on January 22, 2024.

On the day it is inaugurated, the first flights will be operated by IndiGo and Air India Express. The two airlines have already announced flights from Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad to Ayodhya, commencing in January 2024.

The cost of the first phase of construction for the airport is estimated to be nearly Rs 1,450 crore.

The new terminal building, spanning 6,500 square metre, is designed to accommodate 600 peak-hour passengers, with an annual handling capacity of 10 lakh passengers.

Sources said that the second phase of development will include the construction of a new terminal building spanning 50,000 square metre, capable of handling 3,000 passengers during peak hours and 60 lakh passengers annually.