CM Yogi inaugurates direct flight services connecting Ayodhya to Kolkata and Bengaluru

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 17 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the Air India Express flight services connecting Ayodhya to Kolkata and Bengaluru on Wednesday through a video conference from his official residence in Lucknow. During this, he said that Ayodhya is becoming a prominent city for tourists in India and globally.
"Ayodhya already has a large number of local devotees, but considering the excitement nationwide, efforts have been made to facilitate the arrival of pilgrims here. The work done by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in this regard is commendable", he remarked.
CM Yogi expressed gratitude to Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and General VK Singh for their special focus on enhancing Uttar Pradesh's connectivity, providing all possible support.
He said, "Under the leadership of PM Modi, Uttar Pradesh has shown excellent results in this direction, not only welcoming new airports in the past 9 years but also becoming a significant state in terms of air connectivity with 4 international airports."
CM Yogi mentioned that on December 30, PM Modi inaugurated the Maharshi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya, marking a milestone. He expressed his pleasure for the commencement of flight services from Ayodhya to Kolkata and Bengaluru after the starting of air connectivity from Ayodhya to Delhi, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad.
CM Yogi further mentioned that Ayodhya not only symbolizes India's ancient faith but Lord Shri Ram is also an embodiment of the pursuit of human beings for dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. There is eagerness and enthusiasm throughout the country for Lord Ram's arrival in Ayodhya, he pointed out.
He further said, "Six years ago, 4-lane connectivity, doubling of the railway line, starting of cruise services in the sacred Sarayu River, and an international airport only existed in one's imagination. Today, it's a reality that all these services are available in Ayodhya. Success in implementing these owes much to the guidance and leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the efficiency and decisiveness of the double-engine government, and the crucial role played by local representatives."
CM Yogi mentioned that the Uttar Pradesh government has already allocated 821 acres of land to the Ministry of Civil Aviation in Ayodhya. Currently, 500 pilgrims can utilize the ground facility simultaneously, and 8 aircraft can land there. Parking facilities have also been provided. Keeping in mind the future possibilities outlined in the plan by the Civil Aviation Ministry, the state government will actively support the entire program, he stated.
He expressed joy that with the commencement of air services between Bengaluru and Ayodhya, it would be easier to bring Hanuman Ji's message to Ayodhya from Karnataka.
The programme was attended by Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister of State General Dr VK Singh, Ayodhya's Incharge Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, Ayodhya's MP Lallu Singh, Chief Commercial Officer of Air India Ankur Garg, State Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra, and Additional Chief Secretary of Civil Aviation SP Goyal, along with dignitaries from Air India Express and Ayodhya, through video conferencing.
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that under the leadership of PM Modi and CM Yogi, Uttar Pradesh is reaching new heights of development and progress.
He remarked, "We celebrated Diwali last year. We celebrated the second Diwali during the recent election results of three states. And now we will be celebrating the third Diwali on January 22, 2024. It will be the most memorable day for the 800 crore people worldwide who are devotees of Lord Ram."
He mentioned that in the future, Ayodhya will have further enhanced air connectivity. He added, "CM Yogi has transformed Ayodhya completely. After connecting Ayodhya with Delhi and Ahmedabad, now it is being connected with Bangalore and Kolkata. Since the inauguration on December 30, within just 17 days until January 17, Ayodhya has been connected with all corners of the country. This is nothing short of a miracle."
He further said that every devotee in the country will be able to reach Ayodhya swiftly by their 'Pushpak Viman' to offer their devotion. He congratulated Air India for enhancing the connectivity to Ayodhya and said that this is just the beginning as there are more airlines willing to start their services from Ayodhya. He stated that facilities will be provided for them as they come forward, adding that Uttar Pradesh's air services will continue to improve in future.