UP gets highest number of operational airports in country

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 10 airports across the country on Sunday (March 10), Uttar Pradesh became the first state to have 13 operational domestic and international airports.

That is because among the 10 airports inaugurated by the Prime Minister, five happened to be in Uttar Pradesh, namely Aligarh, Azamgarh, Chitrakoot, Moradabad and Shravasti.

These airports have been built under the Centre’s Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS)–Udan.

Better air connectivity

Another airport is coming up at Jewar near Noida, which is all set to become operational later this year. The Maharishi Valmiki International Airport at Ayodhya was inaugurated a few days before the grand consecration ceremony of the Ram temple on January 22.

The cities, which will now see better air connectivity, are of industrial and religious importance. Shravasti, for instance, has been a centre of Buddhism and Jainism, and Chitrakoot is mythically linked to Lord Ram’s 11-year-long exile. Moradabad, on the other hand, is known for its brassware industry.

Airport infrastructure gets boost in UP

Uttar Pradesh, under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is witnessing a renewed push in the area of airport infrastructure in recent years, with existing ones being revamped and expanded and new ones being operationalised as never before.

Earlier, the most populous state lagged behind in airport infrastructure. For instance, before the Ayodhya airport became operative, the nearest airport to the holy city was in Lucknow, which is a three-hour drive.

After Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat has the highest number of operational airports, followed by Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Flybig, a private airline, has started booking tickets for Aligarh, Azamgarh, Chitrakoot, Moradabad and Shravasti from Lucknow.