Several daily flights to Ayodhya, home of the famous Ram Mandir, have been canceled because of low passenger demand. Reports indicate that flights from at least 13 cities have been stopped in less than seven months since the Ram Mandir’s grand opening. While this trend raises concerns for the aviation industry, officials at Ayodhya Airport say that the drop in passenger numbers is largely due to the monsoon season.
Meanwhile, due to poor passenger demand in recent months, well-known airline SpiceJet has discontinued direct flights from Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Patna to Ayodhya. Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of the Ram Mandir’s grand opening, airlines raced to launch service to Ayodhya. Airport officials think that as the months go by, things will become better and more people will come to the temple town.
The current runway is designed for internal flights, but a new runway for international flights will be built, and land has already been secured for this purpose, according to Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. International carriers, meanwhile, have not expressed interest in beginning service to Lord Ram’s birthplace of Ayodhya.
In addition to several flights being canceled, special buses and train services from many states have also been stopped. Temple priests think the drop in visitors may be due to the heavy rainfall and intense heat Ayodhya has been experiencing recently. They believe that once the weather improves, more tourists will start coming to the city.
