Tourism Minister announces probe into faulty runway

THT ONLINE

KATHMANDU: Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadga Bahadur Biswokarma on Thursday assured that he would initiate a probe into the poor construction of the runway of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) and not spare anybody found to be involved in irregularities in the runway construction.

According to airport authorities potholes in a section of the runway were spotted.

On Tuesday all the international flights were cancelled for more than three hours due to the damage on the runway.

Speaking at an interaction programme here in the capital he said that until there is a change in the management committee in the Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) and TIA one could not expect any progress in the airline sector. Accusing the incumbent management committee of incompetence, he said they are preparing to form a new committee in NAC.

During the programme he also informed that he is going to present a proposal to buy two new aircraft for the NAC in the next cabinet meeting and said that he had already convinced the Finance Ministry, Cabinet and major political parties for the purpose.

On a different note he claimed that unity among the parties would be achieved if UCPN-Maoist vice chairman Mohan Baidhya Kiran would be selected as an alternative to the prime minister. It would also be the key to party unity, he added.