KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 8

Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) will close for 10 hours daily starting today for nearly five months to facilitate expansion and upgrades, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).

The Air Transport Capacity Enhancement Project, costing Rs 15 billion, will include constructing a parallel taxiway, expanding the international apron to the north, and the hangar apron to the east.

During the upgrade period, flights will be suspended from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. TIA currently operates from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.

Project Chief Dipendra Shrestha noted that the suspension ensures flight safety during construction.

TIA, Nepal's oldest international airport, has undergone multiple upgrades since its establishment. One was a 3,300-meter runway extension in 2020, during which flights were suspended for 12 hours daily from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am. The expansion then included the southern side of the runway (Koteshwor area, Runway Zero-Two).

In 2018, TIA closed for 10 hours daily for four months for runway repairs, reducing flight operations by about 30%.

Currently, 19 domestic airlines, including 11 helicopter operators, and 30 international carriers operate at TIA, which handles over 300 domestic and around 100 international flights daily.

(With inputs from Rastriya Samachar Samiti)