[ad_1]
The Union Minister of Civil Aviation and Steel, Jyotiraditya M Scindia flagged off the inaugural flight connecting Ayodhya to Bangalore and Kolkata.
Operated by Air India Express, the service will be available three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, effective immediately as per the schedule. Notably, Ayodhya is the third Air India Express destination in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
In his address Scindia said that Ayodhya has been connected to Ahmedabad, Delhi and now to Kolkata and Bengaluru as well. “Under the current leadership we have ensured that within 17 days of the launch Maharshi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhya is connected to all four corners of the country,” he further said, adding that the connectivity will help devotees from all across the nation to visit the newly built grand Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Talking about aviation infrastructure in the state of Uttar Pradesh, Minister Scindia commended the support provided by the Uttar Pradesh government in developing airports at a rapid rate. He also announced that in this year Uttar Pradesh will have a total of 16 airports and this number will go up to 19 airports by 2025.
While addressing the gathering, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Dr. V.K. Singh said that the launch of this flight route symbolises a commitment to expanding air connectivity and promoting accessibility across regions and this initiative will not only boost tourism but also contribute to the economic development of the connected cities.
The government is also building a new terminal at Jabalpur costing more than INR 425 crore, developing Rewa airport so that ATR aircrafts could land, building a new airport in Datia and a new airfield is being built in Satna. The government has also set up 3 new Flying Training Organisations in Madhya Pradesh.
Speaking on the occasion of the launch, Aloke Singh, Managing Director, Air India Express, said “Within a few weeks, we have further extended our connectivity to this sacred city, now linking Ayodhya with two additional metro cities: Kolkata and Bengaluru. This strategic expansion will provide pilgrims with convenient one-stop itineraries to Ayodhya and enhance connectivity to 16 other destinations on our network. The swift expansion of services in Ayodhya underscores our commitment to expanding both domestically and internationally, driven by a growing fleet.” Air India Express operates both domestic and international flights from the cities of Lucknow and Varanasi to destinations like Dubai, Sharjah, Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.
Air India Express in 2015 started operating the first international flight from Varanasi, connecting the sacred town with Sharjah. Bookings for the Ayodhya flights can be made through the airline’s app and website as well as other major booking platforms.
Source link
