Nepal Government allocates budget for completion of three international airport projects

May 30, 2017

A budget of Rs13.73 billion has been allocated by Nepal Government to complete the construction project of three international airports around the country namely Pokhara Regional International Airport, Gautam Buddha Regional International Airport and Nijgadh International Airport.

Finance minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara announced the annual estimate of income and expenditures for fiscal year 2017/18 on Monday. Besides construction of international airports, the Government has committed to upgrade the runway of Tribhuvan International Airport which is currently serving as a lone international airport of the country.

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. The tender was secured by the Chinese Engineering Company CAMCE. The Company is going to construct the International Airport with projected amount of 215 Million US Dollar which is to be obtained via loan and the amount is to be obtained from Exim Bank of China. Due to prolonged process in acquiring loan, the construction of the airport has not been initiated yet.

Gautam Buddha International Airport project is also in shadow due to slow and ineffective approach from a Chinese construction company. The construction project started from 2015 and was expected to be completed by 2018 however; only 25 percent work has been completed till now. The allocated amount for the construction of the airport is Rs6.22 billion. Planned to be completed within 5 years, Nijgadh International Airport project is also desperately requiring pace and concern from respective authorities.