Ayodhya Airport Set For ₹1,625 Cr Expansion; To Handle 60 Lakh Passengers Annually

To meet Ayodhya’s rising travel demands, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has unveiled a ₹1,625 crore expansion plan for the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport. With this expansion, the authorities aim to increase the airport’s annual passenger handling capacity from the current 1.6 lakh passengers per annum to 60 lakhs.

AAI Unveils Expansion Plans For Ayodhya Airport

The Ayodhya Airport was revamped and inaugurated on December 30, 2023, ahead of the Ram Mandir pran pratishtha ceremony on January 22, 2024. Since then, there has been a massive surge in visitors to Ayodhya, which has significantly boosted passenger traffic at the airport. Keeping this surge in mind, AAI now plans to expand the Ayodhya Airport soon.

They will increase the airport’s passenger handling capacity to meet the steep rise in the number of visitors to the city. According to Moneycontrol, the current area of the airport is about 141 hectares. As part of the expansion plan, Ayodhya Airport will be expanded to 331 hectares. Also, a new passenger terminal building will be constructed over an area of 4.4 hectares.

Also Read: Goa, Ayodhya And More, These Were The Most-Searched Domestic Destinations By Indians In 2024

Project Timeline & Rising Flight Numbers

As part of the ₹1,625 crore expansion plan, the number of bays at the Ayodhya Airport’s apron will be increased from 8 to 18. This expansion is expected to be completed in 28 months. The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has already granted environmental clearance for this project. The rapid expansion will help Ayodhya’s growing tourism and economic development.

As per Moneycontrol, Ayodhya Airport handles about 174 flights per week from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad. A year ago, it saw around 154 flight operations per week. On average, 10 to 11 flights operate daily to and from the Ayodhya Airport. These flights are handled by IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Air India Express.

Also Read: Ayodhya Is 2nd-Most Trending Destination In The APAC Region: Report

Have you been to this airport yet? Let us know your experience in the comments.

Cover Image Courtesy: X/@GlobalXInt & X/@mygovindia