BIRATNAGAR, Sept 29: In a bid to bolster the tourism sector in Koshi Province, there is a growing demand for the expansion of the Biratnagar Airport into an international hub. On the occasion of Tourism Day, a fervent call was made during a program held in Biratnagar, urging the government to transform Biratnagar into an international gateway for the development of tourism in the region.
During the gathering organized by the Nepal Tourism Federation, Rewat Bahadur Thapa, the President of the Federation, voiced the long-standing demand for an international airport in Biratnagar. He lamented that despite repeated appeals from tourism professionals, industrialists, business leaders, and civil society, this critical request has fallen on deaf ears.
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Thapa declared his intent to launch a campaign for the realization of Biratnagar International Airport. He also appealed to the residents of Biratnagar to rally behind this campaign. In a show of solidarity, Professor Bheshraj Pokharel pledged his willingness to support the construction of an international airport in Biratnagar through various means.
In the course of the event, Suyash Pyakurel, former Chairman of the Chamber of Industries Morang, shed light on the private sector's ongoing efforts to expand Biratnagar Airport by extending its runway. He explained that the plans for airport expansion have been temporarily shelved due to the prohibitive costs associated with land acquisition.
Pyakurel, however, remained resolute in emphasizing that the private sector is still actively pursuing avenues to enlarge Biratnagar Airport's infrastructure and ultimately facilitate both interprovincial and international flights from this strategic location. The program witnessed the participation of representatives from the hospitality sector, tourism industry, industrialists, political figures, and various professional associations, all united in their vision for Biratnagar's aviation future.
