National Concerns and Coordination Committee of National Assembly has directed to prepare Detailed Project Report (DPR) of national pride project, Nijgadh International Airport within a year.
The study report prepared after the committee including the chairman of parliament, secretary visited Nijgadh airport in-site has mentioned that DPR should be approved within one year period. The report also states that there won’t be any damage to wildlife habitat while cutting down trees.
Similarly, the ministry has directed to select appropriate place for the construction of Tangiya settlement.
A sub-committee formed by National Concerns and Coordination Committee after many dispute were raised about destroying ecosystem by cutting down trees has cleared the rumor reported by several media saying the number of trees will be cut down as per requirement only.
Sub-committee also suggested the government to transplant trees to another location than to cut trees as most of trees are smaller one and it will be best options to transplant trees and maintain greenery in 4-5 years periods.
Ministry of Forest (MoF) approved Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report.
Sub-committee has asked Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) to resettle people of affected area in order to carry out the project smoothly.
In the other side, National Concerns and Coordination Committee has decided that there is no requirement of airport city stating that it is far better to upgrade the cities in local units than to build airport city.
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 had also conducted 2 hour long aerial survey in November 5 and had conducted in-site inspection after festive season.
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 NRs. 100 Billions 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.
There have been a lot of concerns on the topic of cutting down trees for the construction of Second International Airport (SIA) at Nijgadh.
According to the DFS of the Landmark Worldwide Company (LMW) of South Korea, after the first phase of the construction is complete, the airport will be able to handle 15 million passengers annually and accommodate the Airbus A380 super jumbo.
By the end of the third phase, the airport will have a parallel runway enabling it to handle 60 million passengers annually. If built, the Nijgadh International Airport will be an air hub joining 27 Asian cities and generate over 100,000 jobs, according to LMW report.
Replying to the rumors which have been burning issue in the present time, Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), Rabindra Adhikari said that it is not true about cutting down 25 lakhs trees for construction of the airport. He said that this is a planned conspiracy to shake up our work while we are preparing to construct a beautiful airport at Nijgadh.
He claimed that only 2.5 lakhs trees will be cut clarifying the issue which was flourished through media. Forest Ministry has already approved Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for construction of the airport.
