Nepal operates its 2nd international airport at Lumbini.
pic credit: Kathmandu post 
The pm of Nepal has inaugurated the second international airport called Gautam Buddha international(GBIA) in Lumbini which is also the birth place of lord Buddha.
Mr. Deuba pm of Nepal said the opening of the airport is a historic day in Nepal’s aviation and tourism sectors and will contribute to the country’s overall development. The airport was inaugurated on 16 May 2022 on the occasion of Buddha Purnima.
This project was developed under the collaboration of ADB(Asian development bank), the government of China, and the government of Nepal. Though it was inaugurated in 2022 it got late due to covid, earthquake, and some other problems to complete in time.
Speaking at the inaugural event, ADB Country Director for Nepal Arnaud Cauchois congratulated the Government of Nepal on the completion and opening of the airport despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. “The airport will help connect Lumbini—a major tourist and pilgrimage destination—to Buddhist circuits in South Asia as well as to the rest of the world. On a broader context, the airport will form a cornerstone of the country’s overall development by facilitating tourism, expanding trade and economic activities, generating local employment opportunities, and improving international air transport access to migrant workers and people living in the nearby provinces.”
The airport is located 19 kilometers from the UNESCO World Heritage site of Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. The new airport facility are, which can accommodate wide-body airplanes, features a 15,169-square-meter terminal building and a new runway of 3,000 meters. Moreover, an advanced Instrument Landing System will be used in GBIA, a first for Nepal, to allow aircraft landing even in reduced visibility.
Minister of culture and tourism prem ale said “The opening of the airport is a moment of pride for the country. As Nepal’s second international airport, the GBIA will serve as alternate for Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, and airlines will no longer have to divert to other countries in the event of bad weather or other technical issues”.
Gautam Buddha International Airport located in south-central Nepal is a 280-km drive from Kathmandu, and is also intended to serve as an alternative and backup international air transport point.
ADB supported the Government of Nepal in upgrading and building the GBIA through the South Asia Tourism Infrastructure Development Project. The total cost of the airport construction is $76.1 million, Of this ADB’s contribution is about $37 million in loans and grants, while the OPEC Fund for International Development contributed about $11 million in loan. The rest is funded by the Government of Nepal.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lumbini on the inaugural day, his fifth trip to Nepal since becoming prime minister in 2014. He arrived after the formal opening of the airport which lies close to the border of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.
Lumbini, which attracts international pilgrims as the birthplace of the Buddha, has observed the construction of large-scale infrastructure including a bevy of luxury hotels after the talks of the construction of an international airport began in 2010. This airport will provide lot of opportunity to tourism, business sector and various job opportunity to people living there. This airport will help the power of people to de-centralized from kathmandu to other cities like Lumbini and Butwal.
Jazeera airline becomes first international airline to land on Gautam buddha international airport with this other airlines are also in talk to have flight to Lumbini.
CONCLUSION:
The whole blog contain about information related to inauguration of second international airport of Nepal which is located in Lumbini, birthplace of lord buddha.
