Kushinagar Airport: All you need to know about India's newest International Airport - Significance, Runway and More

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Uttar Pradesh's CM Yogi Adityanath, inaugurated the much-awaited Kushinagar International Airport on Wednesday (October 20), giving impetus to trade and tourism in the region. Kushinagar is among one of the most revered religious sites in the state with huge significance to Buddhist pilgrims around the world. 

"Kushinagar International Airport is the result of decades of hopes and expectations. My happiness is two-fold today. As curious about the spiritual journey, I have a sense of satisfaction. As a representative of the Purvanchal area, it is time for the fulfillment of a commitment," PM Modi said during his inaugural speech.

Here's an understanding of what exactly is Kushinagar Airport, its specifications, and why it holds so much importance for Buddhists. 

Location

The Kushinagar International Airport is strategically located in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, and is located 47 kilometers from Gorakhpur. Gorakhpur, a major town in East UP borders Nepal adding to the strategic importance of the airport. 

Significance

The Kushinagar International Airport has been touted as a major development project that will push tourism in the state. The Airport is located near an important Buddhist pilgrimage site where Gautama Buddha attained Parinirvana after his death. It is also located in the vicinity of several Buddhist Cultural Sites like Sravasti, Kapilvastu, Lumbini. 

This will help religious tourists, more especially Buddhists to visit the site from all over the world including countries like Japan, Thailand, Vietnam among many in eastern Asia. 

Not only that, PM Modi, while inaugurating the airport, said, "The Kushinagar Airport won't just be a mode of air connectivity. Be it farmers, animal keepers, shopkeepers, workers, local industrialists -it'll benefit all. It'll create an ecosystem of business. Tourism will get maximum benefit, it'll generate employment for youth here".

Specification

The Kushinagar Airport has been built at an estimated cost of Rs 260 crore and was given International Airport status in June 2020. The airport gets a single runway which is 3.2 km (10,000 ft) long and 45 m (148 ft) wide. The apron area of the airport can accommodate 5 Boeing 737 type of aircraft.

Destinations

At the inauguration of the Kushinagar International Airport, a flight from Colombo, Sri Lanka, carrying a Sri Lankan delegation of over 100 Buddhist monks and dignitaries including the 12-member holy relic entourage bringing the holy Buddha relics for exposition landed, marking the beginning of flight services from the South Asian island nation. 

Apart from Sri Lanka, there's a huge Buddhist population in many southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Japan, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore among more. Flight services to these countries are expected once the airport is fully operational. Apart from that, Domestic flights to Delhi and Mumbai are already announced and it is expected that the airport will also connect other regional airports in UP including Lucknow, Hindon among others.