Butwal, February 26

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today paid an inspection visit to Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa to take stock of the progress on expansion of the airport’s runway.

Airport Construction Project Chief Om Sharma and Chief District Officer Bishnu Prasad Dhakal briefed Prime Minister Oli on the ongoing upgradation works at the airport.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has been expanding the runway from current 1,500 metres to 3,000 with financial aid from the Asian Development Bank.

The CAAN has also been constructing Dhagra River diversion and a new terminal building, among other infrastructures, as part of upgrading the airport.

On the occasion, PM Oli directed the concerned authorities to complete construction of the airport on time.

The estimated cost of constructing the international airport is around Rs 6.2 2 billion. A Chinese North-West Civil Aviation Airport Construction Company has been awarded the contract for constructing the airport.

Construction of the airport had gained momentum after former prime minister Sushil Koirala laid the foundation stone of the airport on January 15, 2015.

The international-standard airport is expected to come into operation by 2018.

PM Oli said that there would be no shortage of construction materials for the construction of the airport.

He was accompanied by Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Poudel, Minister for Industry Som Prasad Pandey, Minister for Youth and Sports Satya Narayan Mandal and CAAN officials, among others.