Minister Kirati assures to take forward Sagarmatha Airport construction process

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati said that the construction of the proposed Sagarmatha Airport in Udayapur's Jogidaha will be taken forward immediately.

Following the inspection of the proposed site here today, Minister Kirati said that voices were raised repeatedly for the construction of the Airport and reiterated that the Ministry will proceed with the process at the earliest.

"A total of Rs 50 million has been allocated for the construction of the Airport," he shared. Stating that the proposed Airport at Jogidaha in Udayapur would be important for the promotion of tourism in Koshi Province, the Minister viewed that the Airport would play an important role in attracting tourists from India to Bhutan to visit Sagarmatha zone and to promoting tourism till Haleshi Mahadev.

On the occasion, Birendra Basnet, Chairperson of the Sagarthama Airport Runway Construction Consumer Committee, underscored the need to take forward the construction process of the Airport immediately. "The incumbent government should fulfill the 60-years-old dreams of residents of Udaypur and Sagarmatha zone."

When the Airport would be operative, it would be easier for rafting from Dolalghat in Sunkoshi to Sunkoshi in Chatara and travelling to mountainous areas and Haleshi area via Airport, he observed.

Likewise, member of the Committee and CPN (UML) leader Raj Kumar Rai opined that tourists from Saptari, Siraha, Udaypur, Khotang, Okhaldhunga and Bhojpur as well as from India and Bhutan could be attracted to Sagarmatha zone once the Airport comes into operation.

Similarly, another member Rudra Adhikari asserted that the approval has been granted for the construction of the Airport. He informed that over Rs 20 million has been spent for the ground work of the proposed Airport and the Ministry of Forest and Environment has granted the right to use land.

According to him, so far 156.11 hectare of land has been managed for the construction of the Airport featuring 1,400 metre long and 40 metres wide runway.