Lucknow: In anticipation of the upcoming Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya, a spectacle awaits as nearly 35 chartered planes, carrying VIPs like Amitabh Bachchan and filmstar Pawan Kalyan, are set to descend upon Uttar Pradesh. Chakeri airport in Kanpur and Amausi airport in Lucknow will play host to this prestigious fleet.
Amitabh Bachchan and Pawan Kalyan are scheduled to land in Ayodhya on January 21, with the aircraft later finding a temporary home at Chakeri. Following the ceremony, these planes will return to Ayodhya for the VIPs’ departure to their respective destinations.
To accommodate the limited parking space in Ayodhya, four spots, reserved for the President, PM, and a foreign guest, have been allocated. Additionally, other cities, including Kanpur, will serve as parking hubs for planes carrying dignitaries.
Lucknow airport is gearing up for a busy period between January 21 and January 23, with around two dozen chartered and private aircraft expected to shuttle VIPs. Parking arrangements are also in progress at 12 other airports.
In an exclusive detail, five aircraft, transporting notable figures such as ArcelorMittal chairman Laxmi Mittal, JSW Steel MD Sajjan Jindal, J K Group president Bharat Hari Singhania, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt Vijayendra Saraswati Swamigal, will have overnight stays at Lucknow airport.
Moreover, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, and Kushinagar are preparing to host eight to 10, seven to eight, and four to five chartered aircraft, respectively. Kanpur Airport director Sanjay Kumar highlighted the arrangements made for parking 10 to 11 VIP aircraft on January 21 and 22 in light of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony.
The Airports Authority of India has identified 12 additional airports across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttarakhand to cater to the parking needs of these VIP aircraft within a thousand-kilometer radius from Ayodhya.