The blacktopping project of Patan Airport located at Baitadi has not been completed yet. The project was begun in the aim of completing on June, 2018. According to Contractor Company, the blacktopping work of airport is anticipated to begin only on October, 2018.
Puran Rawal , Engineer of Gyalwo Chamling Jagdamba JB stated that construction work of cutting, fittings and sub-base has been accomplished at the airport. Rawal also informed that despite the goal of completing blacktopping work of airport on June of this year, it has not even commenced due to numerous reasons.
He claimed that 75 per cent work of the airport has been done where Trilochan Poudel, Deputy Director and Information Officer of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) alleged that only 50 per cent work of upgrading the airport has been completed.
According to the public procurement rules 2064, the process for 6 months additional time is going on and the project must be completed within the added time. The construction of Patan Airport has been initiated at the cost of around Rs120 million and the runway of 590 meters long and 20 meters wide will be blacktopped. Similarly, 70 meter length and 30 meter width apron will also be blacktopped.
The government had allocated the budget for upgrading and restarting Patan Airport, which has closed for nearly two decades under the budget announcement of 2072/73. According to that, a detailed study report was drafted two years ago for resuming operation of the airport.
The airport which began its operation from 2034 was completely closed in the year 2052. Local people are excited about the airport coming into operation but the delay in the blacktopping project has created some worrying situation.
