Indian to re-start international flights from Gaya next month

Patna, Sep 19 (UNI) In view of increase in the international tourist traffic at the Buddhist shrine of Bodh Gaya, national carrier 'Indian' has decided to re-start two new tri-weekly services between Gaya and Bangkok and Gaya - Yangoon from October one.

Disclosing this, the Indian sources here today said both the flights would initially operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays via Kolkata to carry large number of Bodh Gaya bound tourists from Bangkok and Yangoon and back. However, the exact timinig of departure and arrival of both the flights from Gaya were yet to be finalised, the sources informed.

Indian had decided to resume both the international flights from Gaya following the steady increase in the arrival of many foreign tourists from several South Asian and other countries including Thailand, Myanmar, Japan, Sri Lanka, China, Taiwan, Korea and Mongolia besides the US and UK.

Since Patna airport was about 100 km away, international tourists preferred to reach Bodh Gaya through Gaya.

''We are expecting a considerable increase in the inflow of tourists to Bodh Gaya from many of these countries during the coming week long ''Pitripaksh Festival'', beginning on September 24, and in the coming days,'' the sources said, adding that besides the regular Indian flights, a number chartered flights from several countries were expected to arrive at Gaya during the festival period.

Incidentally, 'Indian' had suspended both the Gaya-Bangkok and Gaya-Yangoon weekly flights earlier this year because of inadequate passengers from both the countries becasue of various factors.

UNI