The Indian Army’s field firing range in Ayodhya has been denotified by the Uttar Pradesh government after it was rendered “unsafe” by the ongoing construction of the airport, government sources said on Monday.

An army official said the state government has assured the army that an alternative plot will soon be provided for a new firing range, which is crucial for training soldiers, especially those from the Dogra regimental centre based in Ayodhya.

“The discussion between the army and the Uttar Pradesh government is still underway to zero in on a new location for establishing a new firing range,” the official said, adding that the current firing range is in the flight path of aircraft that would be operating from the airport in the temple town.

According to him, field firing ranges are important in training newly recruited soldiers and making them battle-ready, besides carrying out trials of heavy weapons, including tanks and infantry combat vehicles.

Sources said the army was also considering acquiring a field firing range in a northeastern state bordering China.

Government sources said the decision to denotify the firing range was part of broader defence reforms aimed at optimising the use of army land while supporting civilian infrastructure development. The ongoing process of transferring defence land follows the standard procedure of offering land of equivalent value or developing infrastructure on a suitable alternative site.

In December, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the new Maharishi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya, which serves the twin cities of Ayodhya and Faizabad.

Sources said Ayodhya airport’s phase-I had been developed at a cost of over ₹1,450 crore. The airport’s terminal measures 6,500sqm and will be equipped to handle about 10 lakh passengers annually in the first phase. After the second phase, the airport will cater to 60 lakh passengers annually.