Inside the first flight to Ayodhya, from pilot's 'Jai Shree Ram' address to passengers chanting 'Hanuman Chalisa'. Watch here

The recently constructed Ayodhya airport welcomed its first flight today with the landing of an IndiGo flight from Delhi. Earlier in the day, the airport, officially named Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Before the takeoff from Delhi airport, Captain Ashutosh Shekhar, in a special announcement, welcomed the passengers with a special announcement.

Captain Shekhar introduced his co-pilot and cabin in-charge, as well as provided other flight-related updates. The announcement concluded with a "Jai Shree Ram".

Passengers on this landmark journey to Ayodhya actively participated in religious chants abroad the plane, with 'Jai Shri Ram' and 'Hanuman Chalisa'.





"We are very excited about visiting Ayodhya and brought our children along. We are going to see Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, seek his blessings," a passenger from Rajasthan who boarded the inaugural flight to Ayodhya told ANI.

Another passenger said: "This is a historic day. An aerodrome has now been opened at Ram-ji's birthplace. We are thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for this opportunity."

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport to a grand welcome in the temple city. The airport, developed at a cost exceeding Rs 1450 crore, features a 6500 sqm terminal designed to serve approximately 10 lakh passengers annually.

The terminal's facade intricately depicts the temple architecture of the upcoming Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, while its interiors showcase local art, paintings, and murals illustrating the life of Bhagwan Shri Ram. Beyond its symbolic significance, the airport is poised to enhance regional connectivity, fostering tourism and business activities, thereby creating new employment opportunities.




Air India Express has announced plans to commence direct flights connecting Ayodhya with Bengaluru and Kolkata from January 17, following an earlier announcement of direct flights between Ayodhya and Delhi. The government's future plans include expanding the Ayodhya airport in its second phase, involving an increase in overall area and runway length, ensuring sustained growth and development for the region.