Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), Rabindra Adhikari has stated that the government is working to upgrade Dhangadhi airport to conduct air service to neighboring country.
The airport located at the Province 7 was in high demand to be upgraded from the past. Nepal government has planned to make the airport regional in new budget for the fiscal year.
In the interaction program held at the airport office on June 14, Minister Adhikari said, ” Dhangadi airport along with Biratnagar Airport , Janakpur Airport, Nepalgunj Airport and Chandragadhi Airport are being upgraded for the purpose of conducting regional air service.”
He also informed that the government has planned to make Nijgadh, Bhairahawa, Pokhara international airport as an important infrastructure for tourism. Minister of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment of State Maya Bhatt said that the government should support the Central Government for upgrading the airport.
In the program, Minister of Social Development Dirga Bahadur Sodari said that every government talks about upgrading Dhangadhi Airport however, it has not been implemented. In the initiative of private sector, for the first time about 12 years ago, after collecting money, the initiation of the enhancement airport was started.
According to the source, the work of land acquisition of Dhangadhi Airport has reached the last phase.
With the collaboration of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), VOR/DME (radio navigation system which provides the angle between aircraft and station and gives the distance between aircraft and the station) equipment was installed which help in operating for night flights. The runway of Dhanghadi Airport is second longest after the runway of Tribhuvan International Airport.
