Kathmandu, December 28

The Pokhara Regional International Airport (PRIA) has achieved 52 per cent work progress so far. The Civil Aviation Office at PRIA informed Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai during his visit to Pokhara that the airport construction work is being carried out rapidly. The civil aviation office at PRIA has also claimed that the upgradation work of PRIA will be completed six months before the deadline set by the government.

With a target to complete upgradation of PRIA in July of 2021, work was started in July, 2017. As construction is going ahead smoothly, the airport is likely to complete the upgradation work within 2020, as per the civil aviation office at PRIA.

During the inspection at Pokhara airport today, Minister Bhattarai expressed his belief that once upgradation work at PRIA is completed, it will help further boost Pokhara as a tourist destination. Currently, the construction of hangars, air traffic controller (ATC) complex building, ATC control tower and the airport entrance gate is under way.

Similarly, construction of runway, taxiway and apron has been completed so far while the internal works at the terminal building still remain. The minister informed that the process to acquire 104 ropanis of land and acquisition of around 12 private houses for the airport upgradation is under way.

The Pokhara airport is being upgraded by the Chinese firm China CAMC Engineering Company. The project will cover around 4,000 ropanis of land at Chinnedanda in Pokhara. The airport will be able to handle aircraft like Boeing 757 and Airbus 320, which is expected to significantly ease air traffic at Tribhuvan International Airport, the sole international airport of the country.

As Pokhara is a tourist hub of the country, the upgraded version of the PRIA is also expected to serve more aircraft and passenger movement.

The full-fledged construction work of PRIA has been taken forward 40 years after the government first floated plans of the mega project.