Pokhara entrepreneurs told to find alternative paragliding spots

POKHARA: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) in Pokhara has asked tourism entrepreneurs to search alternative places to run paragliding services in the Lake City.

At a programme organised in Pokhara of Kaski district today, CAAN said operation of a regional international airport in Pokhara may adversely affect the popular sport.

CAAN Director General Sanjiv Gautam said that the paragliding would stop as there would be flow of aircraft after construction of regional airport.

Earlier, the Minister for Finance, Ram Sharan Mahat at a programme in Pokhara had said that the construction of the airport would start soon, after an agreement between the Exim Bank of China and the Nepal government.

According to CAAN, among the 53 companies registered, only 45 companies are operating paragliding in the district currently.

With the surge of gliders in the sky, the CAAN however has stopped providing the licences to new companies.

The first paragliding pilot in Nepal and former Chairman of Nepal Air Sports Association, Rajesh Bamjan, stated that they were planning to form a committee to search the alternative places for the purpose.

To save more than Rs 450 million, earned from the paragliding business, alternative placed should be searched, he added.

More than 200,000 tourists enjoy the adventurous sports in the sky in Pokhara every year.

 

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