-BAGLUNG
Balewa Airport, once again after 26 years is retrieving for takeoff from this March 23, (Chaitra 9). A tri-party agreement between Baglung Municipility, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) and Tara Air was reached on January with this regard on the initiation of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).
As accordance to the agreement held between the counterparties two airline companies i.e. NAC and Tara air will execute two schedule flights with its 18 seated STOL aircraft; one flight each in a week from March 23 (Chaitra 9), this year. Former Education Minister, Daynath Sharma and Former Tourist Minister Lokendra Bista had instigated their steps for the airport operation and had successfully conducted test flight on the airport with NAC Twin Otter equipment but the airport had failed to come back on operation.
Mr. Jankraj Poudel, Mayor for Baglung Municipality, said that the initiative was taken to bring this airport operational target on the special occasion of Chaitra Dashain Mela.
Earlier a technical study has been conducted at the Airport for the operation. The technical team from CAAN together with Induraj Adhikari, Engineer Tara Kanta Shah and Maniraj Ojha had studied on the whole situation of Balewa Airport. The authority had prepared necessary research with the conclusion to retrieve the airport operation after 26 years of closure.
Before the closure of the airport, Twin Otter aircraft was used to connect Kathmandu, Pokhara and Bhairahawa cities from Baglung District.
There is no blacktopped road to reach the airport that lies in eight kilometers anywhere from the district headquarters. People have no option to use a gravel road along the Kaligandaki Corridor to reach the airport which was constructed back in 2022 BS. It was closed with the construction of the Baglung-Pokhara road in the 2048 BS.
The airport previously was also been providing service for emergency purpose but following the closure of airport some sick patients have been reported to lose their lives due to lack of treatment in proper immediate time.
