The new airport in Ayodhya will be named after the ancient saint-poet Valmiki, who penned the epic Ramayana.
According to media reports, the new airport will be named 'Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhyadham'. Valmiki also enjoys a large following, especially among Dalits.
The new airport is among the slew of development projects that will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Ayodhya on Saturday.
Modi will launch projects worth more than Rs 11,100 crore to revamp civic facilities and develop world-class infrastructure in Ayodhya and projects worth over Rs 4,600 crore for other parts of Uttar Pradesh.
Phase 1 of the state-of-the-art airport is developed at a cost of more than Rs 1450 crore. The airport’s terminal building will have an area of 6500 sqm, equipped to serve about 10 lakh passengers annually, a release from the prime minister's office said.
The facade of the terminal building depicts the temple architecture of the upcoming Ram Mandir of Ayodhya. The interiors of the building are decorated with local art, paintings and murals depicting the life of Lord Ram.
The terminal building of Ayodhya airport is also equipped with various sustainability features like an insulated roofing system, LED lighting, rainwater harvesting, landscaping with fountains, water treatment plant, sewage treatment plant, and solar power plant.