Lamjung, June 23

Though Humde airport, the only airport of Manang district, was upgraded about seven years ago, it has yet to resume regular flights.

Located in Disyang Rural Municipality, the airport was upgraded at a cost of 90 million rupees in the fiscal 2012-13. As part of the upgradation, the airport was black-topped and the 600-metre runway was extended to 900-metre.

At the time of upgradation work, people expected regular flights to be conducted from the airport throughout the year.

Before airport upgradation, Nepal Airlines used to conduct two flights a week to Pokhara.

“Except for emergency flights conducted during the tourist season to rescue visitors, no other flights have been conducted from here,” said Manang Chief District Officer Rudranath Devkota.

CDO Devkota also said that lack of air service in the district  had hit patients, including pregnant mothers, hard.

Local Binod Gurung sought answer from the authorities concerned why regular flights hadn’t been operated from the airport.

“The airdrome was upgraded by spending millions of rupees but to no avail,” said Gurung, adding that private airlines could earn good profit if they conducted regular flights from Manang  The airport was brought into operation 36 years ago.