Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Kushinagar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday to facilitate the air travel needs of Buddhist pilgrims in India, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said on Monday. “The inaugural flight will land at Kushinagar airport from Colombo, Sri Lanka carrying 125 dignitaries and Buddhist monks,” the ministry statement said.
The ministry said that Kushinagar is an international Buddhist pilgrimage site where Lord Gautam Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana. Following the inauguration of the airport, the Prime Minister will also address an event at the Mahaparinirvana Stupa and Temple, a Buddhist site, on Wednesday, which will be attended by Sri Lankan Buddhist monks and ministers from the Sri Lankan government.
Kushinagar is the focal point of the Buddhist circuit, which includes the pilgrimage sites of Lumbini, Sarnath and Gaya. The ministry said that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Governor Anandiben Patel and Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will also be present at the inauguration of the airport along with the prime minister.
The new terminal building of Kushinagar airport, spread over 3,600 square metres, was constructed at a cost of Rs 260 crore by the Centre-run Airports Authority of India (AAI) in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh government. The terminal building at this airport is capable of handling 300 passengers during peak hours.
Direct aviation links with South Asian countries will make it easier for tourists from Sri Lanka, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore to reach Kushinagar and experience the region’s rich heritage, the statement said. Also, with the opening of the airport, tourism flow is expected to increase by 20 percent.
After the inauguration of this airport, the Buddhist circuit’s journey to Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Shravasti, Rajgir, Sankisa and Vaishali will be completed in less time.
The scheduled international passenger service in India has been suspended since March 23 last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, but from May 2020 under the Vande Bharat Mission and from July 2020 on special international passenger “air bubble” arrangements with around 28 countries. Flights are operating.
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