Chitwan, November 8

Chitwan’s Meghauli Airport saw its first flight landing after six years with the landing of an 18-seater Tara Air’s chartered flight on November 5 this year.

Flights to and from Meghauli Airport had stopped after hotels inside the Chitwan National Park had shifted to other locations. With hotels around Meghauli now operational, the airport has opened for resumed chartered flights, said Bharatpur Airport Chief Shiba Sharma.

The airport stopped being operational after Tiger Tops Hotel, a hotel in the Chitwan National Park, had closed six years ago. “We are ready to operate regular flights as well,” Chief Sharma said.

Locals expressed hope that regular operation of the airport would contribute to the promotion of local tourism. However, the airport runway is not sufficient for a wide-body aircraft.

The airport that lies some 30 kilometres west of Bharatpur was constructed in 2030 BS. Its infrastructures are in poor condition as it was closed for long.

Chitwan is listed as the third major tourist destination of the country. Sauraha is its major tourism town, followed by Meghauli that is famous for wildlife tourism as it lies adjacent to the CNP. Tourists also arrive here to enjoy the local culture.

A local Meena Neupane said she has witnessed changes in her locality with the operation of new hotels.

Locals said that the road that links Bharatpur to Megauli is in very poor condition that could inconvenience tourists.