Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has inaugurated the Gautam Buddha International Airport today. Inaugurating the airport in Bhairahawa today, he said that the basis for the country's tourism and sustainable economic development has been laid.
He also expressed confidence that the tourist traffic would increase with the opening of the airport. Prime Minister Deuba also said that the airport would be instrumental in conveying the message of Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, to the world as Nepal is a country with high potential for tourism.
Home Minister Bal Krishna Khan said that the Gautam Buddha Airport would be of great help in the promotion of tourism. He said that despite some delays in the construction of the airport due to the Covid pandemic, the efforts of all have been paid off successfully. He thanked the former prime minister and former tourism minister for their role in the construction of the airport. He said that the construction work of the airport was completed due to the cooperation of all.
Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale said that the message of peace and prosperity of Nepal would flow from Buddhabhumi all over the world. He expressed the belief that Nepalese and foreigners both would reach the world from Gautam Buddha International Airport with the message of peace.
He said that Gautam Buddha Airport is one of the five projects of national pride being implemented by the Ministry of Tourism. He said that the country's tourism and economic development would take a leap after the completion of all the five projects.
He announced that Tribhuvan Airport and Gautabuddha Airport would be open 24 hours a day from today. Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Pradip Adhikari, said that the airport, built under the project of national pride, has become an alternative to the Tribhuvan International Airport after the operation of international flights.
Stating that the airport located in Siddharthnagar Municipality is considered as a multi-faceted project of Nepal, he said that it is the gateway to Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha and a means of connecting the world with this region.
Work on the airport, which began in early 2015 to be completed by December 2017, was halted due to negligence on the part of the contractor. Although it was last planned to be completed by March 2020, the airport came into commercial operation after about five years due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. According to NEA, about Rs 11 billion has been spent in the first phase of the project, which was constructed with a concessional loan from the Asian Development Bank.
Now the construction process of the second phase terminal building will be started soon. The airport, built by a Chinese construction company, is being operated by domestic airlines as soon as the mechanical test flight (calibration flight) is completed. Private sector companies including Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines, Shree Airlines and Saurya Airlines have been flying from here.
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