Bihar Government has taken a major decision of renaming the Gaya Airport (IATA: GAY, ICAO: VEGY) to Bhagwan Buddha International Airport. This has been done to mark the 2600 anniversary of the attainment Enlightenment of Bhagwan Buddha.
It was presented by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and was approved in the Assembly. Mr. Kumar said that the Renaming will boost the religious tourism at Gaya which has the world-famous Mahabodhi temple and Mahabodhi tree which are reverred by Buddhists. He also stressed for development of world-class infrastructure at the Gaya international airport with the air service being a preferred mode of journey by the Buddhist pilgrims who hire chartered flights to visit Mahabodhi temple and other Buddhist pilgrimage sites.
Gaya in the only operative International Airport in Biha. Although Patna Airport has similar facilities, but no regular International Flights operate from here.