PM Modi inaugurates Kushinagar International Airport in UP

Kushinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India is the centre of Buddhist faith and the inauguration of Kushinagar International Airport today is a tribute to Buddhism.

The Prime Minister inaugurated the Kushinagar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh today.

On the Occasion, Mr.Modi said that the holy land of Kushinagar is now connected with the world. He said that India is committed to develop the regions related to Buddhism and is working continuously to provide better connectivity to these holy places.

The Prime Minister said that the civial aviation sector in the country has seen an uptick in recent years. Under the UDAN scheme, approval to over 900 routes has been provided and on more than 350 of these routes, the air service has become operational.

Mr.Modi said that over 50 airports which were not operational earlier have started functioning. 

The Prime Minister said the nation has taken a big step recently with regard to Air India. He said that this will infuse new life to the aviation sector.

The Prime Minister said that India has also recently launched Gati Shakti- National Master Plan. He said that this will enhance governance and would make the various infrastructure development sectors like road and rail to work with better coordination.

Earlier, the Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in his address applauded the Uttar Pradesh government and civil aviation ministry for building Kushinagar International Airport in the record time of two years. The Civil Aviation Minister said that in the last 70 years, only 74 airports could be built in the country, but in the last seven years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 54 new airports have been built and now the country has total 128



airports.

Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister of Law and Justice, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Minister for Culture & Tourism G Kishan Reddy and others are also present on the occasion.

Earlier at around 9 O’clock, inaugural flight landed at Kushinagar International Airport from Colombo carrying over 100 dignitaries and Buddhist monks. Eminent monks from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, South Korea, Nepal, Bhutan, Cambodia and Ambassadors of various countries are also participating in the event held on the auspicious day of Sharad Poornima.

The Kushinagar International Airport has been built at an estimated cost of Rs 260 crore. It will facilitate domestic and international pilgrims to visit the place from where Lord Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana.

 

The new terminal is equipped to handle 300 passengers during peak hours. The airport is an endeavour in connecting with the Buddhist pilgrimage holy sites around the world. It will serve nearby districts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and is an important step in boosting the investment and employment opportunities. Tourism inflow is expected to rise by upto 20%.

Kushinagar is an international Buddhist pilgrimage centre from Lord Buddha ordained his last disciple and uttered his last words to the sangha and attained MahaParinirvana, upon the death of his physical body, in 487 BCE.

It is also the centre point of Buddhist circuit which consists of pilgrimage sites at Lumbini, Sarnath and Gaya. Direct aviation connectivity with South Asian countries will make it easier for tourists arriving from Sri Lanka, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore to reach Kushinagar and experience the rich heritage of the region.