Ayodhya Airport
Ayodhya, India
Ayodhya Airport (IATA: AYJ, ICAO: VEAY), officially named Maharshi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhyadham, is an international airport in Ayodhya in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. An airstrip existed at the current location of the airport, which was earlier used by the Indian Air Force. Since 2008, the airstrip was rented for use by private aircraft by the Government of Uttar Pradesh. In 2013, it was transferred to the Airports Authority of India to develop an airport under the UDAN scheme of the Government of India. In 2018, the state government announced an expansion plan for the airport. The construction began in February 2022, and was completed by late 2023. It was inaugurated on 30 December 2023, and commercial flight operations began on 10 January 2024.
The Faizabad airstrip, which existed at the location of the airport, was earlier used by the Indian Air Force. In 2008, the Government of Uttar Pradesh allowed the unused airstrip for usage by private aircraft for a fee. In 2012, the Minister of Civil Aviation announced plans to develop the existing airstrip at Faizabad to improve regional connectivity and tourism. In 2013, the state government approved the transfer of the airstrip to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to develop the airport as a part of the UDAN scheme of the Government of India.
In 2018, the state government announced plans for the expansion of the airport and allocated ₹2 billion for acquiring land acquisition for the same. On 12 August 2020, the state government said that ₹5.25 billion (US$55 million) has been approved and ₹3 (3.1¢ US) has been spent for land acquisition for the airport. On 16 September 2020, the AAI projected that 478.1 acres (193.5 ha) of land would be required for the first phase of the airport. On 10 March 2021, the central government allocated ₹2.42 billion (US$25 million) for the development of the airport, and the state government had completed 270 acres (110 ha) of land acquisition for the same. On 8 April 2022, the state government signed a lease agreement with the AAI for the transfer of 317.85 acres (128.63 ha).
Airport data from the OpenFlights open database.