Unveiling the budget for the current fiscal year in June last year, Minister for Finance Ram Sharan Mahat had said that the government has allocated budget for the purpose. His predecessor Shankar Koirala had also said that he has earmarked budget for upgrading the airport into a regional airport. But nothing has been done in this direction. Though there were speculations that the government will start acquiring the land for upgrading the airport, the government has not shown much interest in implementation of the plan.
Tej Bahadur Poudel, senior officer of Biratnagar Airport, told Republica that the airport has not received any budget for upgradation works though the plan was included in the budget for the current fiscal year. “We were told that Rs 15 million has been allocated in the current fiscal year without mentioning any specific program. But we are yet to receive the amount,” he added.
Officials of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Biratnagar Office said the airport needs to be upgraded at the earliest for safe take off and landing. For that the government must acquire land in the eastern part of the airport, they said.
According to the office, it is difficult for aircraft to land and takeoff when visibility is low. “We need to install lights in the eastern side of the airport to make takeoff and landing safe. For that, the government should acquire 300 bigha of land,” added Poudel. “Land acquisition will help the airport to start upgradation works.”
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The government had initiated works to acquire the required land seven years ago. But it has not materialized yet.
Director General of CAAN and Chief of CAAN’s Civil Engineering Department had made field visit for land acquisition two years ago. Land plots in the area have been frozen for the past six years. Biratnagar Sub-metropolitan Office had also stopped issuing permit to start building construction in the area. But issuance of building permits has resumed, as there is no sign of land acquisition process starting any time soon.
Local industrialists, businessmen and civil society leaders have long been demanding that the government upgrade the airport into a regional international airport.
