New Delhi: The DGCA, the civil aviation authority, granted aerodrome licence for the future Ayodhya airport on Thursday.
The Airports Authority of India (AAI) spent approximately Rs 350 crore developing the airport.
On Thursday, AAI said the airport has been granted an aerodrome licence in the public use category for all weather conditions.
"The airport has a 2,200m long runway with complete Aeronautical Ground Lights (AGLs) infrastructure and is supported by DVOR & Instrument Landing System (ILS) which allows the aerodrome to accommodate flights at night and during low visibility/RVR 550m," AAI said in a series of posts on social media platform X.
DVOR refers to Doppler Very High Frequency Omni Range which helps in navigation of aircraft and RVR refers to Runway Visual Range.
"The much-awaited Ayodhya Airport will have a terminal building with an area of 6,500 sqm, equipped to handle 600 passengers during peak hours and 10 lakh passengers annually," AAI said in a release.
The Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram International Airport at Ayodhya has an extended runway suitable for A-321/B-737 type aircraft operations.
AAI Chairman Sanjeev Kumar received the license from DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) chief Vikram Dev Dutt.
On Wednesday, IndiGo said it will operate the inaugural flight from the national capital to Ayodhya Airport on December 30 and the commercial services will commence on January 6.
"The inaugural flight from Delhi will arrive in Ayodhya on December 30, 2023. Subsequently, commercial operations for a direct flight will commence between Delhi and Ayodhya from January 6, 2024, followed by tri-weekly flights between Ahmedabad and Ayodhya from January 11, 2024," the airline had said.
Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, on December 8, said the airport at Ayodhya will be ready by the end of this month and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the airport.
- With PTI inputs