CHITWAN, JANUARY 25: Preparations have been made to expand the Bharatpur Airport by shifting the Nepal Army’s Bharatpur-based Horse Reproduction Centre. The shifting of the centre is taken as an appropriate alternative after a long groundwork. Now only small aircraft are being operated on time due to the short runway of the airport. The airport is going to be expanded as there will be a shortage of aircraft with the small carrier turning old in a couple of years.
The expansion work is going to move forward with a positive response from all the concerned local governments. The Bharatpur Metropolitan City (BMC) has been taking the initiative for the expansion. The Mayor of the BMC, Renu Dahal, informed that it was agreed to expand the airport by transferring the horse reproduction centre.
It may be noted that the Prime Minister had already directed to bring the proposal to this effect in the cabinet meeting. According to Mayor Dahal, the runway of the airport is to be expanded to 1,500 meters. With the expansion, big aircraft with a capacity of 72 seats can be operated even in the nighttime.
At a programme organized at the Shree Naya Sabuj Battalion at Bharatpur last Saturday, Defense Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka said that around 2 hectare of land owned by the barrack has to be handed to the airport for its expansion bid. He informed that the reproduction centre will be shifted to the Shaktikhor-based barrack in Kalika municipality.
Minister Khadka said the ministry will take ahead necessary process to shift the reproduction centre after carrying out an on-site inspection. The centre has a total of 110 horses. It has been operational since 2041 BS. —
