Kushinagar Airport will serve the nearby districts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
Highlights
- Kushinagar is one of the major pilgrimage centres for Buddhism followers
- It is the final resting place of Gautama Buddha
- The airport will benefit domestic as well as international pilgrims
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated the Kushinagar airport in Uttar Pradesh with a flight from Sri Lanka becoming the first to touch down at the new airport.
"In order to develop the places associated with Lord Buddha, for better connectivity, special attention is being given by India today on the creation of facilities for the devotees. The development of Kushinagar is in the priorities of the UP government and the central government," said the Prime Minister.
PM Modi underlined that the Kushinagar airport will help develop an entire economic ecosystem in this region and also create new job opportunities.
"In UP alone, including this airport, 9 new airports and terminals have been made available to people. Jewar Airport, which will be India's largest airport, is also being worked on at a record pace," said the Prime Minister.
Kushinagar is one of the major pilgrimage centres for Buddhism followers from all over the world. It is the final resting place of Gautama Buddha where he attained Mahaparinirvana after his death, and is among the most important pilgrim spots for Buddhists.
"It (Kushinagar International Airport) is a great gesture of PM Modi and especially inviting Srilankan airlines to be the first international carrier to land at Kushinagar International Airport," said Sri Lankan Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa, who arrived in Varanasi with a Lankan delegation of over a hundred Buddhist Monks.
The airport - built at an estimated cost of Rs 260 crore - will benefit domestic as well as international pilgrims by providing seamless connectivity to the Mahaparinirvana sthal of Lord Buddha.
It will serve nearby districts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and is an important step in boosting investment and employment opportunities in the region.
Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other dignitaries were also present at the ceremony.
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister gave its approval for the declaration of Kushinagar Airport in Uttar Pradesh as an International Airport in June 2020.