Rajbiraj, January 9

Work to upgrade Rajbiraj Airport in Saptari has gained momentum recently.

The airport was inaugurated by late NC leader and then transport minister Ganeshman Singh in 1959.

The upgradation project had been initiated about a month ago.

Kanchharam Raman Dev and Shair JV had received the contract for Rs 300 million. “As of now, works related to sub-base are under way; we’ll start working on the base and black-topping after that,” said company engineer Mani Govind Shrestha.

According to the engineer, the company expects to complete the project by June. “Although the contract stipulates a deadline till December this year, our target is to complete the project by June itself,” he said, adding that the airport will have 1,500 by 60 metres’ concrete runway, 90 by 60 metres’ apron, and 105 by 20 metres’ taxiway.

Chairperson of Saptari Chamber of Commerce and Industry Arun Kumar Pradhan expressed enthusiasm on the prospects of resuming flights to and from the airport.

The airport that used to operate flights to Kathmandu and Lamidanda of Khotang in the Panchayat era has been in disuse for the past 10 years.