Nepal government has made a commitment to bring Gautam Buddha international airport into operation within a year. Gautam Buddha Airport will be operational within one year, in the policy and program of the next financial year from the side of the government.
Similarly, Pokhara Regional International Airport is expected to be in operation within the next three years, while the activities of Nijgadh International Airport to be forwarded with prioritization policy and program.
It is mentioned in the policy and program that the infrastructural development and promotion of tourism will be carried out to bring growth in tourism industry.
The plan for the promotion of touristic destination and to bring quality tourists is also presented in the policy and program.
Construction of Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa which was decelerated after earthquake of 2015 and blockade from India has now paced up. Previously, from the airport project report, 37% work has completed by the end of April which was 33% two months back. The work was paced up after local contractor who supply construction material was changed.
Officials of the project believe that operation from the airport can be commenced within 2019 AD if the work proceeds at same speed. Currently work of runway, terminal building, ATC tower, administrative building, and communication system is being carried out. There are different types of layers before blacktopping the runway and among that Sub-grade and Sub-base layer are completed and base-course layer is being added now which is aimed to be completed by Asar.
Construction of Pokhara International Airport (at Chinnedanda-3 km to the east of Pokhara’s present domestic airport) was inaugurated with placing foundation stone by then Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli on April 13, 2016.
According to the source, in order to strengthen the construction work of Pokhara Regional International Airport, more than 40 Tippers, Rollers, Excavators and other equipment have been imported.
The construction project of the international airport was started with loan assistance of 22 billion from Exim Bank of China and is projected to complete within 10th July 2021. The project will also receive some grant from Chinese side.
Government is also preparing to finalize the construction of the proposed second international airport, Nijgadh International Airport in Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. The air security department from Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has suggested that the construction project of airport is only possible in PPP model.
Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) have allocated fund for the cost of National Pride Project (NPP) and has intended to apply a portion of the fund for with the request for proposals (RFP) has been issued. The proposal is for the preparations of Airport Master Plan and Detail Design of First Phase of Development of Second International Airport (SIA) in Bara district, Nepal.
