The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has unveiled an ambitious ₹1,625 crore expansion plan for Maharshi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya. This expansion comes in response to the significant rise in passengers flocking to the city, a key religious and cultural hub in northern India, following the opening of the Ram Mandir in January 2024.
The project, which is slated for completion within 28 months, aims to enhance the airport’s capacity significantly. Currently, the airport handles a modest 0.16 million passengers annually. However, after the completion of the expansion, this capacity will increase dramatically to 6 million passengers per year. The decision reflects the urgency to cater to the growing demand for air travel to Ayodhya, a city now firmly on the map for pilgrims and tourists alike.
As part of the expansion, the airport will also witness a significant increase in operational facilities. The number of aircraft bays will more than double, rising from 8 to 18. This development will not only enable smoother flight operations but also make room for more airlines to offer services to the city, improving its connectivity with the rest of the country.
The expansion project will also see the total area of the airport increase from 141 hectares to 331 hectares, allowing for better operational efficiency, additional facilities, and a more seamless passenger experience. The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has already granted environmental clearance, ensuring that the project is ready to move forward rapidly.The ongoing growth of Ayodhya as a religious and cultural destination has already prompted the airport’s current operators to expand flight services. Since the inauguration of Maharshi Valmiki International Airport by the central authorities in December 2023, the airport has connected Ayodhya to six major cities in India: Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad. On average, 10 to 11 flights operate daily to and from Ayodhya, with major airlines such as IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Air India Express servicing the route.
Experts predict that as air connectivity to Ayodhya improves, so will the city’s economy, with increasing opportunities for trade, tourism, and business. The expansion project is expected to provide a significant boost not only to the local economy but also to the broader tourism infrastructure in the region.In the long term, the airport’s expansion will likely transform Ayodhya into a prominent destination for both religious tourism and leisure travel, benefiting local businesses and creating jobs. The project, which reflects a broader push for improving infrastructure in smaller towns and cities under the government’s UDAN scheme, also signifies a growing trend in developing regional connectivity for India’s emerging cities.As Ayodhya emerges as a key pilgrimage destination, it is expected that the airport will play a pivotal role in supporting the city’s growth.
The enhanced infrastructure will facilitate smoother travel, attract more tourists, and open doors for international flights in the future, all of which are vital for positioning Ayodhya as a global religious and cultural centre.With the airport expansion already underway, Ayodhya’s transformation is gathering pace. Experts believe this infrastructure upgrade will contribute significantly to making Ayodhya a better-connected city, facilitating not just religious tourism but also broader economic and social development for the region.
