KATHMANDU, June 8: The construction of new airports will be carried out only if they meet one of three important criteria, according to Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Yogesh Bhattarai.

Speaking at a meeting of the House of Representative on Monday, Minister Bhattarai said that the need for construction of new airports in the country will be measured against three criteria. “If the place where the airport is to be built is rural and is in need of transportation services, if it has tourism prospects and if it has commercial opportunities,” he said, “The construction of an airport can be considered if the place in question has one of these situations.”

The budget allocation for the upcoming fiscal year 2020/21 has prioritized development of tourism infrastructures. It has allocated Rs 1.26 billion for the tourism sector. While the government has been focusing on the completion of Gautam Buddha International Airport, and Pokhara Regional International Airport, Bhattarai said both the airports will come into operation in the upcoming fiscal year. “The construction of Nijgadh International Airport will be started this fiscal year,” he added.

He informed the lower house that the Tribhuvan International Airport will be transformed into a boutique airport and infrastructures are being developed and other preparations are being made so as to operate it 24 hours a day.

Similarly, programs for the upgradation of airports at Biratnagar, Bharatpur, Surkhet, Nepalgunj and Dhangadhi are included in the budget plan for FY- 2020/21. Also, the ministry is said to be working on a study for alternative airports near the Kathmandu Valley.

 
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