The family also protested the alleged ploy of renaming the airport after Sadbhawana Party leader late Gajendra Narayan Singh. [break]
The family decried leaders of Nepal Sadbhawana Party (NSP) addressing the airport as Gajendra Narayan Singh Airport at different forums.
At the request of the then transport minister Ganeshman Singh, late Rudra Narayan Singh of Bishnupur VDC-8 of Iahari in Saptari district had provided over 57 bighas of land to the government to build the Rajbiraj Airport.
Mahamaya Singh, the late Singh´s son, expressed sadness that the government failed to recognize his family´s contribution. “After renaming the Sagarmatha Zonal Hospital, they are attempting to change the name of Rajbiraj Airport after Gajendra Narayan Singh,” said Mahamaya.
“My father donated such a big stretch of land, yet, when the government decided to call it Rajbiraj Airport we kept mum. But if it is going to be named after a person, why not rename it after my father´s,” questioned Mahamaya. He accused the government of maneuvering for the gain of a certain political party.
He warned of taking the matter to the court if the airport is named after a person. The family also lamented the fact that the airport has remained out of operation for years now.
“My father donated the land thinking that the district would prosper and the people would benefit from the airport,” said Mahamaya. “The government has made no effort to revive the airport and now some of the leaders are hell-bent to change the name,” he added.
Late Ganesh Man Singh had inaugurated the Rajbiraj Airport 53 years ago in 1960. However, the airport began to fall apart in lack of proper management and since 1995, there have been no regular flights. Rajbiraj Airport is the second largest after the Tribhuvan International Airport in terms of area.
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