Narayangarh, November 5:

Baratpur Airport has been upgraded to the ‘C’ category after a 1,200 km-long runway was blacktopped recently. The blacktopping work, with financial support of the Civil Aviation Authority, Nepal (CAAN), took two years to complete, said Suman Kumar Shrestha, the director and the superintendent of the airport.

“With the runway work over, aircraft can now land and take off even during the monsoons,” he said, adding, “Runways in airports at Chandragadhi, Surkhet, Janakpur and Dhangadhi will also be upgraded soon as per CAAN’s airport reformation programme.”

Raj Kumar Chhetry, manager of the airport, said, “Now on passengers will not have to fear the worst - cancellation of flights.”

“Two high security towers have also been constructed,” he said. According to sources at the airport, different types of aircraft can land at the airport following the runway renovation. Fokker aircraft could also land at the airport if the runway length is further extended to about 300 metres, the sources said.

Five flights take off daily from the airport — four for Kathmandu and one for Pokhara, Chhetry said. Buddha air is planning to start a flight to Bharatpur from Kathmandu by November 15. Bharatpur airport was constructed in the year 1961, and the tower in 1966.