Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) the sole international airport of the country is set to operate for 21 hours a day from Jestha 7- May 21. Currently the airport is operating 18 hours a day from 6 AM to 12 at night. Tourism minister (MoCTCA) Rabindra Adhikari under his new plan has directed to operate the airport for 21 hours.
As part of his 100 days’ work plan, Minister Adhikari directed to increase the operation time to reduce the high air traffic of the country and also directed to do it either by stopping the permission to new flights or by deducting the domestic flights.
The international airport has only 1 runway and during adverse effect, numerous flights have to be cancelled daily, diverted, fly at uneven time and even hold in sky for up to 45 minutes and minister believes that the problem will be partially solved by increasing the operation hour of airport.
Raj Kumar Chhetri, general manager of the airport stated that air traffic management, manpower and equipment has been prepared for bringing the airport into operation on the first week of Jestha. He also informed that some airlines have expressed their willingness to operate flights at night.
Meanwhile, the search for the land for construction of new domestic airport is being carried out to reduce the air traffic of TIA. As per the information, a plan is made to construct airport in Kavre with the aim of reducing air traffic in domestic flights. Similarly, there is feasibility study for the construction of airport is going on at Nagidanda after the locals had interfered in the proposed land at Thulichour.
