The agreement has been signed in the meeting held between technical officials of Nepal and India regarding the feasibility of adding new air routes between the two countries. The two-day meet ended yesterday and the agreement has been signed on June 16.
The agreement signifies that the aircraft will be allowed new entry from Biratnagar and Janakpur while the air route between Kathmandu-Biratnagar and Kathmandu-Janakpur will be made bi-directional. In addition, the air safety evaluation will be carried out by both countries as the aircraft enters Nepal from new air routes.
Likewise, the airline flying at low altitude at the western part of Mahendranagar will be facilitated with bi-directional Kathmandu-Mahendranagar-Delhi route and the safety evaluation will be done under the supervision of both countries. At the eastern side, the Kathmandu-Janakpur-Patana one-way route will also become two-way which will enhance the flights between Nepal and India.
Indian side has also committed to prepare detail technical evaluation of the new routes for Gautam Buddha International Airport, Pokhara Regional International Airport and Nijgadh International Airport by September, 2018. International airlines operators conducting high altitude flight operations from these airport will be approved for the new routes.
Moreover, both the parties signed an agreement in supporting each other for the air navigation services.
Member of Air Navigation Services and board member of Airport Authority of India (AAI) Mr. Anil Kumar Dutta was the leader for six-member Indian technical team whereas for Nepal, Deputy Director General of Air Navigation Services Directorate of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) leaded the Nepali team.
Presently, all airlines connecting the sole international airport of Nepal, Tribhuvan International Airport only authorized to use the southern Simara route (SMR) as an entry point to Nepal, aircraft have to make their descent and climb in the Indian airspace following the STAR (Standard Terminal Arrival Route) and SID (Standard Instrument Departure Route), respectively which has been pretty much congested making the airspace paltry.
