Team of Sub-committee formed to study about all the airports of the country led by former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal along with other officials conducted aerial survey and site inspection of proposed international airport and fast track in Nijgadh, Bara.
The team conducted a survey on Monday after the conflicting decision to cut down large number of trees to construct the international airport at Nijgadh peaked. The team has spent about 2 hours flying above the site on Nepal Army’s MI-17 helicopter yesterday.
The team under leadership of former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal included joint company of Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari, Minister of Forest and Environment Shakti Basnet, CAAN director General Sanjeev Gautam along with other officials.
However, the inspection did not come with a conclusion of expected result, stated some of the official as the team only inspected from the helicopter with no discussion and briefing. The cost for inspection via the helicopter only is expected to be of around 2 million. The team will now conduct in-site inspection after Tihar.
Previously, Tourism Ministry had requested Ministry of Forest and Environment for chopping down the trees at Nijgadh for the construction of the airport, however many stakeholders, individuals and environmentalist have stated that it would hamper environment and Forest Ministry also denied the permission.
The meeting between Finance Ministry and Tourism Ministry held on August 29, 2018, has already decided to construct Nijgadh Airport in Government-Private partners’ model. It is estimated to cost around Rs 100 billion for the construction of the airport.
The airport will be developed in three phases. The first phase, as per the detailed feasibility study (DFS) of the project, will be of 10 years; the second phase will be of 5 years, and the third or final phase will be of 25 years.
The project envisions building a modern airport in Nijgadh in Bara district, 175 km from Kathmandu in the southern plains.
