CISF handles 350 VVIPs, 116 flights at Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya during Ram Temple inauguration

By Rajnish Singh
New Delhi [India], January 23 : Amid high threat alerts during the inauguration of Ram Temple and 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla idol in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) handled 350 VVIPs and 116 flight, mainly chartered aircraft, movements between January 21-22 at Maharishi Valmiki International Airport-- the 68th and the latest airport being secured by the paramilitary force.
A total of 146 personnel of the CISF handled the security arrangements for 350 VVIPs landed at Maharshi Valmiki International Airport during these two days.
Meanwhile, the CISF handled 42 flights, 32 chartered and 10 scheduled, movements on January 21, and 74 chartered flight movements, including 12 scheduled flights, on January 22-- the inauguration date of the Ram Temple.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the Ram Lalla idol at the Shri Ram Janmaboomi Temple in Ayodhya on January 22 and the "Pran Pratishtha' ceremony began at 12.20 pm, a gathering of more than 7,000 people, including seers and prominent personalities, were present at the venue. They all reached with different flights at the newly constructed Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, whose security was handed over to the CISF on January 10.
On arrangements made by CISF in Ayodhya on January 21 and 22, CISF Deputy Inspector General Shrikant Kishore told ANI: "We handled the biggest challenge at the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport. On January 9 when CISF took over there were only two flights at the airport and on January 21 we handled five scheduled departures, five scheduled arrivals and 32 charter planes. On January 22 we handled 74 flights. We also handled the movement of 350 VIPs..."
Asked about the footfall and future challenges at the airport, Kishore said "There has not been a decrease in footfall (in Ayodhya) after January 22."
"In the coming days, this will be an important airport...Ayodhya's airport is one of the hyper-sensitive airports and we are making arrangements accordingly," Kishore said.
The consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya was held on January 22 with Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the rituals. Following the consecration, the shrine is now opened to the public.
It was a challenging task for the CISF to handle such a mega event amid high threat perception as the consecration ceremony was held after the first phase of the temple's construction, made possible by a Supreme Court judgment in 2019 on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit. The Hindu litigants argued that the Babri Mosque was constructed at the site of a temple marking the birthplace of Lord Ram. In 1992, the 16th-century mosque was demolished by "kar sevaks".
On January 10, the CISF took over the security of Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhya Dham. The unit is headed by a Deputy Commandant rank officer. This move of the CISF to secure the airport aimed to ensure secure passage for pilgrims and visitors to the holy city, contributing to a safe and enriching experience for all.
This development brought the total number of airports under the protective umbrella of CISF to 68 as of date.
The deployment of CISF personnel at Maharishi Valmiki International Airport underscores the organization's unwavering dedication to maintaining the highest standards of security across the nation's vital transportation hubs.