>Update202122 at 15:52, 7 October 2021

2021-10-07T15:52:18Z

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{{short description|Airport in Uttar Pradesh, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox airport
| name = Maryada Purushottam Shriram International Airport
| nativename = Ayodhya Airport
| image-width =
| caption =
| IATA = FZD
| ICAO = VIFD
| pushpin_map = India Uttar Pradesh#India
| pushpin_label = '''Ayodhya Airport'''
| pushpin_label_position = right
| pushpin_relief =
| pushpin_map_caption = Location of the airport in Uttar Pradesh
| type = Civil
| owner = Government of India
| operator = [https://www.aai.aero/en Airports Authority of India]
| city-served =[[Faizabad]], [[Ayodhya]]
| location = [[Ayodhya]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], India
| elevation-f = 335
| elevation-m = 102
| coordinates = {{Coord|26|45|12|N|082|09|01|E|type:airport_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| website =
| metric-elev = y
| metric-rwy = y
| r1-number =
| r1-length-f = 4922
| r1-length-m = 4200
| r1-surface = [[Asphalt]]
| stat1-header =
| stat1-data =
| stat2-header =
| stat2-data =
| footnotes =
}}

'''Ayodhya Airport''', officially known as '''Maryada Purushottam Shriram International Airport''',<ref>{{cite news |title=Upcoming Ayodhya airport to be named after Lord Ram |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ayodhya-airport-to-be-named-after-lord-ram/story-dG6COFTZmKzPmB3lukkNvI.html |access-date=25 November 2020 |work=Hindustan Times |date=25 November 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=26 February 2021|title=Centre gives nod for Ayodhya airport; Rs 1,000 crore allocated for construction|url=https://www.timesnownews.com/business-economy/economy/article/centre-gives-nod-for-ayodhya-airport-rs-1000-crore-allocated-for-construction/725443|access-date=18 March 2021|work=Times Now}}</ref> is an upcoming [[international airport]] in [[Ayodhya]], [[Uttar Pradesh]] that will be upgraded from the existing government airstrip.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/maya-to-hand-over-airstrips-to-private-entit/207323 |title=Maya to hand over airstrips to private entities | date=28 July 2007 | first=Alka S | last=Pande | newspaper=The Indian Express | access-date=14 January 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Kalhans|first=Siddharth|date=12 August 2020|title=Ayodhya airport set to become international, to be expanded by 600 acres|work=Business Standard India|url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/ayodhya-airport-set-to-become-international-to-be-expanded-by-600-acres-120081201156_1.html|access-date=22 March 2021}}</ref> The existing government airstrip is situated between the [[National Highway 27 (India)|NH 27]] and [[National Highway 330 (India)|NH 330]] at Sultanpur Naaka, Ayodhya, in the [[India]]n state of [[Uttar Pradesh]]. The State Government signed a [[memorandum of understanding]] with the [[Airports Authority of India]] (AAI) in February 2014 for the development of the airport.<ref name ="PIB">{{cite web|title=MoU Signed for Development of Airports in UP |url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=104187 |publisher=[[Press Information Bureau]]|date= 24 February 2014 |access-date=28 February 2014}}</ref> As of October 2021, the airport is not operational.<ref name="not_operational"/>

==Recent efforts==
===Efforts by Union Civil Aviation Minister===
Union Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh stated that there are three airstrips [[Ayodhya]], [[Moradabad]] and [[Meerut]]. He requested that give these airstrips to AAI and they will construct airports.<ref>{{cite news |last1=PTI |title=Business News Today: Read Latest Business news, India Business News Live, Share Market & Economy News |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-12-21/news/35953502_1_airport-authority-kushinagar-minister-ajit-singh |access-date=24 February 2021 |work=The Economic Times|date=21 December 2012}}</ref>

The U.P. government does not want airports. Agra is an exception. Akhilesh does not want to give free land for airports, Ajit Singh said, adding that more airports would generate employment and spur growth in the state. If the Airports Authority of India got land for domestic airports in other eight cities and towns in U.P., it would have benefited the people of the state, the minister added. And after constant effort the airport has been haned over to AAI.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/civil-aviation-minister-ajit-singh-airfares-commercial-airlines/1/239741.html|title=Aviation Minister Ajit Singh to put brakes on airfares, will introduce a mechanism to curb soaring prices|author=Sanjay Singh|work=India Today|date= 28 December 2012 |access-date=24 February 2021}}</ref>

===Development under low-cost airports===
In an endeavour to provide air connectivity to different parts of India, development of low-cost airports is the most important component. Instructions have been issued to AAI to identify the most suitable low cost model for development of smaller airports and to develop airports in the smaller cities based on this mode.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=91236|title=Year-End-Review of the Ministry of Civil Aviation for the Year 2012 |work=Ministry of Civil Aviation|date=28 December 2012|access-date=24 February 2021}}</ref>

===Handing over to Airports Authority of India===
In 2008, the Ayodhya Airport was handed over by the government of Uttar Pradesh to Airports Authority of India (AAI) to be developed as full-fledged airport along with three others (Meerut, Moradabad and Saifai) by the approval of Uttar Pradesh cabinet. The government of Uttar Pradesh is providing extra land free of cost for the further expansion and for the construction of a terminal.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-09-04/lucknow/41764777_1_airstrip-the-aai-meerut-airport |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928221201/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-09-04/lucknow/41764777_1_airstrip-the-aai-meerut-airport |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 September 2013 |title=Decks clear for air travel to three districts |date=4 September 2013 |work=[[The Times of India]] |access-date=24 February 2021}}</ref><ref>[http://www.indianexpress.com/news/shelved-by-maya-akhilesh-nod-to-develop-meerut-airstrip-as-airport/1164357/ Shelved by Maya, Akhilesh nod to develop Meerut airstrip as airport] Express News Service: Lucknow, 4 September 2013, 03:34 hrs &#91</ref><ref>[http://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/lucknow-city-10696623.html मेरठ, मुरादाबाद, फैजाबाद और सैफई में एयरपोर्ट बनाने का रास्ता साफ] Updated on 3 September 2013 10:26 pm (IST)</ref>

[[File:Ayodhya airport runway.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Runway taken from national highway]]

In 2012, the Uttar Pradesh government had issued formal orders allowing the landing and parking of private aircraft on the airstrip against a fee. According to the government order, any private aircraft can land by paying Rs 500. There will be no parking charges for the first two hours, after which Rs 200 will be charged per day.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/airstrips-open-to-private-aircraft-in-up/298272/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120731104559/http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/airstrips-open-to-private-aircraft-in-up/298272/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 July 2012 |title=Airstrips open to private aircraft in UP |publisher=Posted: 18 April 2008 at 2317 hrs IST }}</ref>

The government gave the airstrip to private investors for their pilot training and aircraft maintenance engineering institutes. "The fresh government order for landing and parking is an extension of that project, because now the government will not have to bother much about activities like maintained, which will be taken care of by the institutes," said Swaroop. The procedure followed earlier to obtain permission for using the airstrip used to be long. The owner of the private aircraft had to contact the respective district magistrate who would further contact the directorate which would take the measures required for landing of the aircraft.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/airstrips-open-to-private-aircraft-in-up/298272/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120731104559/http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/airstrips-open-to-private-aircraft-in-up/298272/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 July 2012 |title=Airstrips open to private aircraft in UP |publisher=Posted: 18 April 2008 at 2317 hrs IST }}</ref>

In 2018, the [[Yogi ministry|Yogi government]] expansion of airstrip in Ayodhya. The government later approved an international airport and sanctioned {{INR|2 billion}} for acquisition of land.<ref>{{cite news |title=Yogi govt expedites Ayodhya international airport project |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/lucknow/ayodhya-airport-project-expedited/story-d4wGlDTaeejd2Vom4UdoJO.html |access-date=5 February 2021 |work=Hindustan Times |date=13 December 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

The airport is still not operational as of 7 October, 2021.<ref name="not_operational">{{cite news |title=Ayodhya airport to be ready for 20-seater aircraft in first phase |url=https://www.cnbctv18.com/aviation/ayodhya-airport-to-be-ready-for-20-seater-aircraft-in-first-phase-7768241.htm |access-date=5 February 2021 |work=CNBC |date=18 December 2020}}</ref>

==Projected length==
The state government has decided to acquire more than 280 acres of land around the airstrip and widen it to allow landing of bigger aircraft. Projected airstrip needs to have a width of 45 meters and a length of 2.5 km.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/full-fledged-airport-in-ayodhya-on-fast-track/articleshow/66519146.cms|title=Full-fledged airport in Ayodhya on fast track|work=The Times of India|last=PTI |date=6 November 2018 |access-date=2 April 2020}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Airports in India}}

[[Category:Airports in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Ayodhya]]
[[Category:Transport in Ayodhya]]
[[Category:Proposed airports in Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Airports with year of establishment missing]]

Ayodhya Airport - Revision history

>Update202122 at 15:52, 7 October 2021