Plans afoot for a domestic airport in Kavre
Kathmandu, May 1
The government is gearing up to set up a domestic airport in Kavre as an alternative to the domestic section at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).
Rabindra Adhikari, minister for culture, tourism and civil aviation, cited air traffic congestion at the TIA as the prime reason for considering setting up the new domestic airport.
Minister Adhikari; Gokul Banskota, state minister for communication and information technology; along with federal lawmakers, provincial assembly members and locals of Kavre held discussions on the feasibility of setting up a domestic airport in the district.
After the discussion, it has been decided to establish the domestic airport either at Thulichaur near Dhulikhel or Nagidada near Banepa. However, the final decision is yet to be taken.
According to Dhurba Pokharel, press adviser of Adhikari, the ministry will be forming a four-member expert team within the next two days, which will examine both the proposed areas and recommend the best spot for the airport to the ministry.
The government has planned to build the new domestic airport within the next four years, after which all the domestic flights currently being handled at TIA will be shifted there.
An initial study conducted by Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation in Nagidada and Thulichaur in June 2016 had revealed that Nagidanda was more feasible.
The proposed new domestic airport would have a 1,200-metre-long runway and would be constructed at an appropriate site after a final survey and detailed project report are completed.
