Tariguan Airport at Dang, Tulsipur is expected to resume its operation from October 2018 as the flight operations have been disruptive and inconsistent for a long time.
Rabindra Adhikari, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) stated that Dang airport will be back to operation before the main festival of Dashain.
Minister Adhikari stated that there is a possibility of resuming flight between Kathmandu and Dang before Dashain on the program organized by Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City on Sunday. If the flights are not possible from Kathmandu then it will be conducted from Bhairahawa for which necessary technical study is going on.
Dang airport which came into operation in 1954 AD has been irregular in its services. Due to lack of refueling facilities and improper runway, airline operators did not show their interest to operate at Dang.
NAC conducted flights 2 decades ago but couldn’t operate consistently due to fuel shortage. By late 90s, NAC, Yeti, and Sita conducted a flight per week and continued for 6 years. Then the airport was closed for 4 years for the blacktopping project and a couple of years back Summit Air (previously Goma Air) with the help of Tulsipur Industries and commerce union operated for 9 months but also halted the operation stating lack of passengers. Summit airlines also had started operation but it has been occasional.
Ghanshyam Pandey, head of Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City has requested to resume the airport stating the development and prosperity of the entire dang is linked with Dang Airport.
