Gautam Buddha International Airport comes into operation

Nepal on Monday officially inaugurated the country’s second international airport in Bhairahawa.

An Airbus 320 of Jazeera Airways landed at the Gautam Buddha International Airport at 7:07am.

Located in the central Tarai, the Rs6.22 billion facility has been envisaged as the international gateway to Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha located 18 km from Bhairahawa. It has a 3,000-metre-long and 45-metre-wide runway.

Monday’s inauguration coincides with Buddha Jayanti.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also set to visit Lumbini today marking his fifth trip to Nepal since his first election as prime minister in 2014. The Indian prime minister will offer prayers at the Mayadevi temple in Lumbini on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti. Modi, however, will be flying on a chopper directly to Lumbini from Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh.

Gautam Buddha International Airport is the second international airport Nepal has built after seven decades.

Here are some photos of the airport after the official commencement of operations captured by the Post's Sangam Prasain.