Rs 11 billion demanded for expansion of airports in Lumbini, Karnali Provinces

KAKREBIHAR (SURKHET), MARCH 4: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation has requested the Finance Ministry to allocate financial resources for the expansion of three airports in the Karnali and Lumbini Provinces.

A total of Rs 11 billion has been requested to expand the airports in Surkhet and Jumla in the Karnali Province, and the Tarigaon Airport in Dang, Lumbini Province.

Prakash Pokharel, Section Officer at the Tourism Ministry, informed that the ministry has been proposed to ensure the necessary financial resources for these airport expansions.

Earlier, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal had recommended that the government acquire land to increase the capacity of these airports. As a result, the Council of Ministers decided on Monday to secure the required financial resources.

For the expansion of Tarigaon Airport in Dang, an estimated Rs 5 billion was needed for land acquisition. The Finance Ministry has been asked to allocate Rs 10 million and guarantee resources of Rs 990 million.

For the Surkhet Airport, the ministry has been requested to allocate Rs 100 million and guarantee resources of Rs 4.90 billion for land acquisition and airport expansion.

The expansion of Jumla Airport is estimated to cost Rs 1 billion for land acquisition and facility development. The ministry is urged to allocate Rs 100 million and guarantee resources of Rs 400 million.

The Karnali Province government, under then Chief Minister Mahendra Bahadur Shahi, had proposed an ambitious plan to operate its own air service. However, the province's plan for domestic and inter-provincial air services, under the name 'Karnali Airlines,' remains on hold.

The Shahi-led government had also announced the construction of a high-altitude airport in Mugu and an international-standard airport in Surkhet. A Chinese company, 'North West,' had even submitted a feasibility study to the provincial government free of charge.

Currently, there are four daily flights between Kathmandu and Surkhet. However, the number of flights to Upper Karnali has drastically declined.

Some 4 years back, the provincial government had proposed conducting night flights from Surkhet Airport by extending its runway to 1,500 meters.