Ayodhya airport handled around 100 chartered flights on Monday: Officials

The Ayodhya airport handled around 100 chartered flights on Monday as many people flew into the city to attend the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple.

Around 8,000 people were invited for the consecration ceremony.

The new Ram Lalla idol was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on Monday, an event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Business Aircraft Operators Association (BAOA) President Captain R K Bali told PTI that 100 chartered flights were booked by various individuals and entities to Ayodhya for Monday, and, out of them, around 50 were business jets.

The grouping represents business jet operators.

An executive at a leading private jet operator also said the airport handled around 100 flights on Monday.

Earlier in the day, two officials said that at least 100 flight movements, including landings and departures, were expected at the airport.

On Sunday, when many people, including corporate heads and prominent personalities, reached Ayodhya, the number of flight movements at the airport was around 90, one of the officials said.

While the list of invitees included about 8,000 names, the select list featured 506 A-listers, including prominent politicians, leading industrialists, top film stars, sportspersons, diplomats, judges and high priests.

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan, business tycoons Mukesh Ambani and Lakshmi N Mittal, and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar were among those who attended the consecration ceremony.