IndiGo announces direct connectivity between Mumbai and Ayodhya

MUMBAI: IndiGo, country’s largest carrier in terms of market share, on Tuesday announced direct flights between Mumbai and Ayodhya, from January 15, 2024.
IndiGo flight 6E-5378 is scheduled to depart Mumbai at 12.30 am and land in Ayodha at 2.45 am, while the return flight 6E-5379 will depart at 3.15 pm and land in Mumbai at 5.40 pm.
These daily flights will provide travellers, direct accessibility to Ayodhya making their journey smoother and shorter, the airline said.Earlier, IndiGo announced inaugural operations from the soon-to-be-inaugurated Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport in Ayodhya from Delhi from December 30, 2023. Subsequently, commercial operations from Delhi to Ayodhya from January 06, 2024, and from Ahmedabad to Ayodhya will commence from January 11, 2024.
Speaking on the occasion, Vinay Malhotra, Head of Global Sales, IndiGo said, “These new routes will significantly promote travel, tourism, and trade in the region, contributing to economic growth and providing tourists direct access to Ayodhya, through the 6E network across India as well as overseas.”
The Rs 350 crore Ayodhya airport, built by government-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) has a runway equipped to handle single-aisle Airbus 320 and Boeing 737 type of aircraft. It received aerodrome license from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation on December 14. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the airport on December 30.
Development work has been carried out at the airport, including an extension of the existing runway from 1500m X 30m to 2200m x 45m for the operation of Code -C type of aircraft. Among the other additions are a 6250 sq m interim terminal building, which can handle 300 passengers during peak hours, with eight check-in counters, three conveyor belts. Then there is an air traffic control tower, a fire station, car parking, new apron for parking three Code ‘C’ type of aircraft and allied city-side and airside infrastructure, said AAI.
“The Terminal Building of the airport is equipped with various sustainability features like Double Insulated Roofing System, Provision of Canopies for energy saving, LED Lighting, Low Heat Gain Double Glazing Unit, Rainwater Harvesting to recharge the groundwater table, Landscaping with fountains, HVAC, Water treatment plant, Sewage treatment plant and use of recycled water for landscaping, a solar power plant with capacity of 250 KWP has been provided to meet GRIHA –V ratings,” it said, adding that the Terminal has been designed to integrate the culture and heritage of Ayodhya, State of Uttar Pradesh. The facade of terminal building. Both on the city side and Airside depicts the temple architecture of the upcoming Ram temple of Ayodhya.