SURKHET: Construction works for the extension of Surkhet airport has been halted after the project failed to provide compensation to the landowners.

Civil Aviation Office, Surkhet, had proposed to extend the length of the runway last year. But the project has been halted because of the lack of funds. The project is supposed to provide a compensation of Rs 41 million to the land owners through the District Administration Office. But it has succeeded in providing only Rs 44 lakh so far.

Utsav Kharel, chief of Civil Aviation Office, said that construction works had come to a halt because of the lack of funds.

He regretted that the

government had not released funds for the purpose, despite their repeated request. The construction of the airport started in 2022 BS. It was blacktopped in 2006, 41 years after it was constructed.