Govt. takes steps to construct Nijgadh airport

Following the verdict of the Supreme Court (SC) given in the recent past, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) have advanced needed steps to construct the Nijgadh International Airport (NIA).

The Ministry said an experts' panel has been formed to locate an appropriate site for the airport to be constructed in Nijgadh.

The civil aviation's regulatory body CAAN has decided to form the panel and the committee would get final shape after approval from the cabinet meeting within some days. The construction of the Nijgadh International Airport would be forwarded based on the committee's study report.

During a meeting of the International Relations Committee of the Federal parliament held Monday, Minister for Tourism Jeevan Ram Shrestha shared that the airport would be constructed with the least environmental damage based on the experts' recommendation by considering the SC's verdict to this end.

The Ministry has been accorded top priority as per the SC's verdict and the Ministry would take a decision by conducting further studies from the experts' panel.

The cost of the Nijgadh International Airport, the much-hyped national pride project, is estimated to be around Rs 120 billion in the preliminary phase. So far, as high as 8,050 hectares of land is acquired and around Rs 3 billion is spent on the project.

At the meeting, Committee Chairperson Pabitra Niraula Kharel said the project should be advanced without further delay since it is vital for Nepal's development and economic prosperity.

She also said the Committee would take its decision after holding consultations with the Minister for Law and Justice by internalising the full text of the SC's verdict.

Likewise, former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said the SC has paved the way for the development of the Nijgadh International Airport and now the ministry and line agencies should proceed without further delay.

On the occasion, the Director General of CAAN Pradip Adhikari shared about administrative and other decisions taken in this regard.

Speaking at the meeting, lawmakers Bhim Bahadur Rawal, Surendra Kumar Karki, Dev Prakash Timalsina, Chand Tara Kumari, Pushpa Kumari Karn Kayastha, Dipak Prakash Bhatta, Mohan Baniya and Renuka Gurung shared common views stating that the airport was appropriate from all perspectives thus a state-of-the-art airport in Nijgadh should be constructed as soon as possible.