The government has proposed to create necessary physical infrastructure at airports in Bhairahawa, Pokhara, Janakpur and Surkhet to convert them into regional airports. [break]
Similarly, a detailed feasibility study (DFS) for the proposed Second International Airport (SIA) in Nijgadh in Bara district has been completed.
PAC meeting held on Tuesday instructed the Commission of Investigation of Abuse and Authority (CIAA) to speed up its investigation into Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) runaway, which peeled off at many places about five months ago. The committee has also asked the authority concerned to promptly take action against the guilty after the investigation.
Lawmakers had summoned secretary of MoTCA Dr. Ganeshraj Joshi, Director General of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Ram Prasad Neupane, CIAA secretary Bhagawati Kafle and TIA General Manager Ratish Chandra Lal Suman on TIA runaway case and airport development issues.
CIAA Secretary Kafle said the investigation is almost complete and CIAA is finalising the report. About 36 samples were collected from TIA runaway by the Department of Roads. MoTCA Secretary Joshi said the ministry is keeping a tab on the two issues.
Lawmakers questioned Kafle for the delay and asked him to submit the report at the earliest.
Lawmaker Lalbabu Pandit said if CIAA lingers its investigation, there are chances for wrongdoers escaping the law. Another lawmaker Rabindra Adhikari said issues related to TIA are international and they need to be handled cautiously as the country´s image is at stake.
PAC members had inspected the runaway and helipad in July following reports of runway peeling off at many places for the fifth time in two months of its commissioning. Following PAC instruction, CIAA is looking into the issue, suspecting irregularities in the construction of helipad and repairing the runway.
The runaway was repaired after 16 years early this year in February at the cost of Rs 280 million.
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