Lucknow, Jan 11 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday virtually launched Indigo Airlines' direct air service between Ayodhya and Ahmedabad at an event held at his official residence.
Devotees/tourists who wish to have darshan of Lord Ram now have the option of taking the direct flight from Ahmedabad to reach Ayodhya.
Addressing the occasion, the chief minister said, "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."
He said that another flight service between Delhi and Ayodhya will start on January 16. He further highlighted that improved air services contribute significantly to tourism and business activities.
The chief minister mentioned that the number of air passengers in the state had 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 had 19.16 lakh, Gorakhpur 54,000, and Prayagraj received 45,000.
In 2022-23, however, UP recorded 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.
He emphasised the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where even an ordinary citizen can travel by air. The state government is committed to realising this vision. He mentioned that five years ago, Ayodhya had a small airstrip, but today Maharishi Valmiki International Airport is operational.
He added that Ayodhya is now a sought-after destination for everyone, and the government has improved its connectivity by road, rail, and air, aligning with the Prime Minister'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.
Discussing IndiGo Airlines' presence in Uttar Pradesh, he mentioned that IndiGo is providing flight services from 8 cities in Uttar Pradesh including Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Kanpur, Agra, Prayagraj, Bareilly, and Ayodhya. The number of flights is continuously increasing.