The Honorable Minister of Industry, tourism, forest and environment for Province No.1 Jagadish Prasad Kusiyat informed that the processes for connecting 14 regions from Biratnagar Airport have been initiated.
Minister speaking on the 8th Provincial General Assembly of Nepal Association of Tours and Travels Agent (NATTA) said that the federal government along with private airline companies are requested to connect hilly regions with flights from Biratnagar.
There will be increment in the number of domestic and international tourists after the initiation of flights to hilly region from Biratnagar Airport. The economic condition of the region will also improve considerably.
In past, flights to Solukhumbu, Khotang, Taplejung, Okhaldhunga, Bhojpur, Sankhuwasabha were operated from Biratnagar airport but now it has been reduced to Tumlingtar airport only.
The expansion project for Biratnagar Airport is also going on. Almost all the compensation has been dispatched to land owners for their acquitted land for expanding the infrastructure of Biratnagar Airport. The airport is being upgraded to international level and the budget of Rs 1.35 billion has been sanctioned with the long term planning.
As per plan to upgrade the airport to international standard and for flight safety, the lands were acquitted and the compensation process is going on. Stakeholders believe that the airport project will be completed in given time.
The authority has planned to extend the 1500 meter runway of Biratnagar Airport to at least 2500 meters and the land acquisition has also begun for the expansion of the runway along with compensation process. Under the cost of Rs. 30 million, the remodeling work of the terminal building has also commenced.
