Khotang, February 25

A test flight was conducted today at Khotang’s Manamaya Rai Khanidanda Airport, which was damaged by landslide some two years ago. With the test flight, the airport is likely to come into operation very soon.

A Nepal Airlines plane that had flown here from Kathmandu with Provincial Assembly members Ram Kumar Rai and Ushakala Rai, had conducted the test flight at the airport based in Khalle of Diktel-Rupakot-Majhuwagadi Municipality.

According to NAC Operation Department Chief Dipuraj Jwarchan, the airline is preparing to operate two flights a week from Kathmandu.

“There is no issue in conducting flights from the airport; we’ll soon submit a report of the test flight to the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority,” said the NAC official, adding that regular flights would probably resume from this or next week.

Meanwhile, the prospect of resumption of the airport that has been out of commission for nearly two years now, has excited the locals.

Following the test flight today, locals participating in a programme at the airport sought uninterrupted regular air services from the airport. “As this airport is more accessible to district folks rather than Lamidanda and Thamkharka airports, the government must make sure that flights are not disrupted at the airport,” said speakers at the programme.

On the occasion, Jwarchan informed that the company would operate flights by giving priority to the Kathmandu-Khanidanda route and it would also start flights on other routes in the future.