The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has commenced the construction of the Maryada Purshottam Shri Ram Airport in Ayodhya. Vishal Infrastructure, a builder based in; Bengaluru, which won the bid for constructing Ayodhya airport has started the work under the supervision of AAI.
Rajeev Kulshreshtha, besides three other officials, from Airport Authority of India has taken charge as the project-in-charge of the airport. Lalji, Ayodhya airport director, and two assistant general managers, are also appointed to handle the project.
The airport will be constructed in three phases. The first phase of Ayodhya airport is expected to complete in around one-and-half to two years. The construction cost for the phase one is estimated at Rs 150 crore. The runway with a length of 2,250-metre suitable for ATR-72 aircraft will be constructed as a part of phase 1 construction.
A total of around 550 acres of land will be required to construct Ayodhya airport. The existing airstrip and terminal in Ayodhya account for 182 acres among the required land. The central government has allocated Rs 250 crore for building airport in Ayodhya. Uttar Pradesh government has approved a total of Rs 321 crore to purchase additional land. With this, a total of Rs 1,001.77 crore has been approved to purchase 555.66 acres of additional land.
A ceremony by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lay the foundation stone of Ayodhya airport was supposed to be held at the premises. The Assembly polls and the related imposition of the model code of conduct for the state of Uttar Pradesh prevented authorities from conducting the ceremony.
UP Government Fast-Tracked the Work of Airport in Ayodhya
Uttar Pradesh government fast-tracked the Ayodhya airport project and Ram Manohar Lohia Awadh University sanctioned a proposal to deliver its 23 acres of land for the airport in October 2021. The land, comprising of University Vice Chancellor’s building besides 30 other buildings, will be given to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for the airport construction.
In 2018, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath first announced the development of airstrip in Ayodhya, which can accommodate large aircraft such as A320 and B737, and the required runways and terminal buildings.
