Flight operations from Dehradun to Ayodhya, Varanasi, Amritsar start today

The three services were launched from Dehradun's Jolly Grant Airport on Wednesday.

CM Dhami inaugurated the event by lighting a lamp and cutting a cake.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said, "We endeavour to make moving the people within the entire state of Uttarakhand convenient, simple and easy. For this, we are continuously making efforts and the people of the country are travelling to different places in the state."

"Flagged off air services from Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun to Shri Ayodhya Dham, Amritsar, Pantnagar and Varanasi and gave boarding passes to the passengers and wished them a happy journey. As a result of the efforts of the double engine government, the air connectivity of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand is continuously getting strengthened. With the start of these air services, while people will get convenience in transportation, tourism in the state will also get a new direction and momentum" the Chief Minister further said.

Referring to air services, the Chief Minister said that before this, the state had started air connectivity from and to Dehradun-Pithoragan and also started heli services from Haldwani to Champawat, Munsiyari and Pithoragarh.

The Uttarakhand Chief Minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Hailing PM Modi, he said that under his leadership period, there has been unprecedented progress in every sector, including the air services.

The Chief Minister also interacted with the passengers travelling to Ayodhya amid the chanting of "Jai Shri Ram" and wished them a safe journey.

According to the CM's office, Dhami had been trying for a long time to start air services for all three places.

"Before the Pran Pratishtah ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, the CM had personally requested and written a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia," an official statement said earlier.

Dehradun Airport is a medium-sized airport in India with domestic flights only. On the other hand, Ayodhya recently got its first airport, which has been named Maharishi Valmiki International Airport. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the airport on December 30 last year. (ANI)