Nitish seeks Japan's help to set up 'Peace corridor'

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is on a four-day visit to Japan, has sought the assistance of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in setting up a 'Peace corridor' in Bihar.

The 'Peace corridor' is aimed at connecting all the historical Buddhist sites in Bodh Gaya, Nalanda, Rajgir and Vaishali through high-speed rail link as well as road network.

"The move will not only facilitate smoother travel for tourists visiting the Buddha Circuit but also go a long way in boosting the tourists flow between India and Japan," Nitish reportedly told Abe.

Nitish also requested that Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) should consider including Vaishali in the ongoing project for linking Patna with Bodh Gaya, Rajgir and Nalanda as important destinations on the Buddha circuit.

It is pertinent to mention here that while the three Buddhist places are south of Patna, Vaishali is in North Bihar.

Nitish, who is in Japan on the invitation of Abe, also extended an invitation to the Japanese Premier urging him to find time to visit Bihar as well whenever he visits India next.

The chief minister also discussed the proposal for starting an air link between Bihar and Japan. Besides, he invited the president of the International High-Speed Railway Association, Masafumi Shukri, to visit Bihar for a preliminary survey.

Later, Nitish urged the Japanese investors to set up industrial centre in Bihar so that it could open employment avenues for the local youths in the state.