Five companies have come in contact for regular flights at Gautam Buddha International Airport, which has recently completed construction and is in the process of preparing for commercial flights.
Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Bahadur Ale has instructed the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to take off and land from the airport as soon as possible.
According to the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority, Jajira of Kuwait, Sri Lanka of Sri Lanka, Nepal Airlines Corporation, Qatar Airways and Thai Smile Airlines of Thailand have been contacted for the flight.
After the operation of the airport, it will be more convenient for the passengers coming to the Gulf countries for employment along with religion and tourism, said Minister Ale.
Engineer Pradip Kumar Adhikari, Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), said that permission would be granted for international flights and landings as soon as various companies come in contact with them. He said, "Some airlines have come in contact for landing at Bhairahawa International Airport. We are preparing to study and give permission."
A few days ago, the Civil Aviation Authority has also issued 'Aeronautical Publication Information' for commercial flights. As ground handling, cargo, catering etc. are yet to be managed at the airport, the authority has stated that permission will be given for take-off and landing as soon as the work is completed.
Similarly, Chief Govinda Prasad Dahal informed that problems were arising in some works due to a lack of necessary manpower. According to him, there is 151 manpower for the airport but at present, there are only 36. Minister Ale has also instructed the concerned agencies to send the required manpower to bring the airport into operation. At present, the team of the Aviation Authority is focused on the same work, said the Director-General. According to him, there are at least 170 Nepal Police and 170 Nepal Army personnel for airport security and other work.
Similarly, the staff mobilization of the Metrology Department has been confirmed and the technical team of customs and immigration has already inspected it.
According to NEA, there is a possibility of airlines operating flights to Cambodia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and other Buddhist countries at the airport. Yubaraj Adhikari, executive chairman of the Nepal Airlines Corporation, which is in charge of ground handling at the airport, said that it will soon start its work. According to him, the technical manpower of the corporation has reached Bhairahawa International Airport to prepare the ground handling.
Minister Ale said that it was necessary to bring Bhairahawa International Airport into operation to promote tourism in Nepal and attract more tourists to Nepal. Stating that the government has launched a tourism promotion program to help the tourism sector in the region, which has suffered the most due to the Corona epidemic, he said he was working to bring the airport into operation on time with the expectation of some help in attracting foreign tourists from Bhairahawa to Lumbini.
The government is preparing to bring the airport into operation on the same day on the occasion of Buddha Purnima.
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