Govt approves declaration of Kushinagar airport as an International airport

The Union Cabinet meeting which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 24 has approved the declaration of Kushinagar airport in Uttar Pradesh as an International airport.

The declaration of Kushinagar Airport as an International airport will offer improved connectivity as well as a wider choice of competitive costs to the air travelers. It will boost domestic/international tourism and economic development of the region.

Kushinagar Airport in Uttar Pradesh is located in the vicinity of several Buddhist Cultural sites like Kapilvastu, Sravasti, Lumbini. Kushinagar is located in the northeastern part of UP. It is about 50 km east of Gorakhpur and is also one of the important Buddhist Pilgrimage sites.

Great news for Uttar Pradesh, tourism and those inspired by the noble thoughts of Lord Buddha!

Kushinagar Airport will now be an international airport. Connectivity will improve significantly. More tourists and pilgrims will also mean better opportunities for local population.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 24, 2020

Significance of declaring Kushinagar Airport as an International Airport:

The Buddhist circuit in Kushinagar is a key pilgrimage destination for 530 million people practicing Buddhism across the globe. Declaring Kushinagar airport as an International airport will offer improved connectivity and a wider choice of air travel services to the customers, which in turn will boost tourism and economic development of the region.

Around 200-300 devotees from Cambodia, Thailand, Burma, Japan, etc. have been coming and offering their prayers at Kushinagar, on any given day. Despite such large numbers of visitors, this international tourist destination has no direct connectivity.

With direct international connectivity to Kushinagar, the number of foreigners and domestic tourists visiting Kushinagar will substantially increase. The international airport has also been expected to boost the already growing hospitality and tourism in the country,

Background:

Kushinagar is an important Buddhist Pilgrimage site as it is the place where Lord Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana. This place has been regarded as a very sacred Buddhist pilgrimage centre where Buddhist pilgrims from all around the world come for a pilgrimage.

Kushinagar has been dotted with several other Buddhist sites in its surroundings like Kapilvastu (190 km), Sravasti (238 km), and Lumbini (195 km). These places make Kushinagar an attraction for both the visitors and followers alike. Kushinagar has also been serving as a presenting site for Buddhist circuit pilgrimage spanning across India and Nepal.