Efforts begin to connect Ayodhya with Prayagraj by air
Efforts are underway to connect Sangam city with Ayodhya by air, with plans to start a small aircraft service between the two cities. This would benefit religious tourists and those with tight itineraries. The proposal has been sent to the state and central governments, with a trial run expected in January 2024. The initiative aims to provide air connectivity to all cities in the Ramayana circuit and attract more tourists to the region. The Ramayana Circuit is one of 15 thematic circuits identified for development under the Swadesh Darshan scheme.
With Maharishi Valmiki International Airport of Ayodhya Dham becoming functional and consecration of Ram Lalla at Ram temple set to take place on January 22, efforts have begun to connect Sangam city with Ayodhya by air.
The plan is to start 20-seater small aircraft service between the two cities that could prove a boon especially for aged religious tourists as well as those visitors with tight itineraries wishing to visit as many holy towns as possible in the state, said chairperson, Airport Advisory Committee of Prayagraj Airport, Phulpur MP Keshari Devi Patel who has taken an initiative in this regard.
She said the state government has taken several initiatives to develop Uttar Pradesh cities of religious importance to promote religious tourism and generate employment opportunities for locals. “We want air connectivity for Ayodhya and Chitrakoot from Prayagraj as this will allow pilgrims and tourists to travel to these holy cities within 30 to 35 minutes.
For this, airline companies have been invited by the Airports Authority of India to start operation of small aircraft between these cities,” she added. A proposal after a meeting of the Airport Advisory Committee of Prayagraj Airport in this regard has also been formally sent to the state and the central governments and their respective ministries have in-principle expressed their desire to back the move.
Officials maintain that a trial run of small aircraft service between Prayagraj and Ayodhya can take place as early as the third week of January 2024. If successful, this initiative could strengthen efforts of the government to provide air connectivity to all cities that form part of the Ramayana circuit for tourists and attract more tourists to Prayagraj region.
Ramayana Circuit is one of the 15 thematic circuits identified for development under the Swadesh Darshan scheme of Union tourism ministry. The ministry has initially identified fifteen destinations for development under the Ramayana Circuit theme.
They include Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringverpur in Prayagraj and Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh), Sitamarhi, Buxar and Darbhanga (Bihar), Chitrakoot (Madhya Pradesh), Mahendragiri (Odisha), Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh), Nashik and Nagpur (Maharashtra), Bhadrachalam (Telangana), Hampi (Karnataka) and Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu).
