Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajpaksa arrives at Bodh Gaya

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajpaksa, accompanied by his wife Shiranthi Rajpaksa and a 70-member delegation, on Friday arrived at the Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya for pilgrimage.

Rajpaksa was received at the Gaya International Airport by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Education Minister PK Shahi and senior state government civil and police officials, official sources said. He was accorded a guard of honour by the state police.

From the airport, the cavalcade of the Sri Lankan President and members of his delegation drove straight to the Mahabodhi temple where they will perform religious rituals, the sources said.

Rajpaksa would meditate before a peepal tree where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment and visit the Sri Lankan Buddhist Vihar in the temple town. The Chief Minister will host a lunch for the Sri Lankan President and his delegation, the sources said.

Meanwhile, CPI(M-L) Liberation workers raised slogans against the Sri Lankan President from some distance as his cavalcade drove towards the Mahabodhi temple.

The protesters, who had mingled in the crowd that gathered to welcome the visiting dignitaries, shouted slogans like the 'Killer of Tamils go back'. Two of the protesters have been detained for questioning, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Law and Order), Rakesh Kumar Dube said.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in Bodh Gaya town in view of the Sri Lankan president's visit, police sources said.

Gaya International Airport runway to be extended

The State government also promised to transfer over 100 acres of land, which is in the process of acquisition, to the Airports Authority of India (AAI) for extension of the international airport at Gaya.

Chief minister Nitish Kumar conveyed this to V P Agrawal during a two-hour meeting they had at the CM’s secretariat at 4, Deshratna Marg here.

“Operating international flights will become easier after the Gaya airport runway is extended to 9,000 feet,” Agrawal said, adding regular Haj flights may be introduced from Gaya after the runway extension.

Agrawal said the proposal airport in Bhagalpur has for now been shelved due to congested inhabitation there.

Nitish and Agrawal had a detailed discussions on AAI’s airports and aerodromes in Bihar. The issue of extra land for Raxaul and Muzaffarpur aerodromes was also discussed.

Apart from airports at Patna and Gaya, there are aerodromes at Raxaul, Muzaffarpur and Jogbani.

There are 29 airports, aerodromes and airstrips in Bihar. Of them, 18 are under the state government, five under the defence ministry and five under the AAI. There’s also a private aerodrome at Kursela.link