The demand for proper compensation during the acquisition of additional land for Pokhara Regional International Airport has been proposed by the state council. Official from congress party has raised the demand for appropriate compensation for land acquisition at meeting on Sunday. The process of acquiring additional land in east and South of the current runway has already started.
“The construction of the airport should not be stopped due to compensation, but landowners should get proper compensation,” stated officials. The local residents have denied that the compensation of lands given by the state is not enough to buy even a piece of land.
Airline companies have asked additional land with the authority to build the aircraft hangar. Furthermore, Nepal Oil Corporation has also asked land for fuel storage purpose.
40 ropani lands have been demanded by NOC after 15 ropani land separated for fuel storage has been declared insufficient. Apart from this, there is no land for Helipad. Airport project chief said that additional land is required as the land separated for aviation fuel storage was near to Apron which will risk the security of airport.
In addition, according to design, only three wide body aircraft can be parked at Apron. The number of tourist may increase in the future along with frequency of flights which requires large area for parking. The land has to be added because there will need for the apron and the infrastructure in upcoming future. If the required land was acquired at once, it would have been easy.
Four decades ago, the acquisition of 3,106 ropeni land of Pokhara-14, 15 and 18 woda was acquired. Later, additional 529 ropani land was acquired. 60 ropani lands were acquired again for constructing 60 kilometer road around the airport.
