KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 18

An expert committee formed by the government regarding the construction of Nijgadh International Airport has handed over its study report to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

In the presence of Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Jeevan Ram Shrestha, Birendra Bahadur Deuja, coordinator of the committee, handed over the report to the PM at a programme held at the PM's official residence today.

The report concluded that NIA with full capacity to control growing air traffic congestion was necessary for Nepal's futuristic development and economic prosperity.

As per the report, a suitable location for NIA is an area of about 4,000 hectares between the Pasaha River and the Bakia River, which is connected to the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway (Fast Track) and the East- West Highway.

The committee suggests scrapping the airport city concept considering the SC's order to minimise deforestation and environmental damages.

The report adds that an airport protection area of about 9,000 hectares has been declared, but only 4,000 hectares should be used for the construction of the airport. It mentions that rest of the area should be used for river erosion prevention and other necessary conservation works by the airport management.

The committee said trees should be felled on only about 1,500 hectares of the area in the first phase, and additional trees should not be cut in the remaining areas until the beginning of the second phase.

The report mentions that the construction of the airport should commence only after completing legal procedures and obtaining necessary approvals in order to prepare an Environmental Management Plan to monitor possible adverse impact on the environment.

The report highlights that the Constitution of Nepal has given the government a constitutional obligation to make the necessary legal arrangements for proper balance between the environment and development works, as there are international laws and precedent principles propounded by the SC.

The committee has suggested providing compensation and making arrangements for rehabilitation of those affected as per the law while acquiring land for the construction of NIA. The report adds that airport construction should not harm the biodiversity of surrounding areas.

'There is a major biological route of elephants within the extended area of Parsa National Park, but the area where elephants come to roam near the construction site is outside it, so the government can protect that area as well,' the report adds.

The report states that after the construction and operation of NIA, the proposed Himalaya-2 route (Kathmandu-Guwahati-Kunming) and L-626 (Kathmandu-Mahendranagar-Delhi) can be made twoway, and two-way international flights to Europe, Middle East, and the East Asia Pacific region will be more economical in terms of reduced distance, fuel consumption, and carbon emission.

A Cabinet meeting on August 11 had decided to form the expert committee on the apex court's directive.

A version of this article appears in the print on September 19, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.