POKHARA, Nov 10: The Pokhara Regional International Airport is likely to be completed within the next one and half years. Flight operations are planned to begin in April, 2021.

According to Binesh Munakarmi, head of airport construction project, all the remaining works of the much-awaited regional international airport will be completed by December 2020 and flights will start soon afterwards.

“About 50% of the construction work has been completed at the regional airport,” said Munkarmi. “The work of civil construction will be completed in few months. After that, we will purchase equipment and complete all the works of installation very soon.” Currently, construction work is underway in 14 buildings. The 2,500-meter-long runway is also under construction. Works on taxiway and aircraft parking space have completed. “Among the 14 buildings, RCC structure of 12 buildings is completed,” Munkarmi added, "The work of plastering is ongoing in eight buildings."

Likewise, the administrative office of ATC is completed, while an eight-storey tower is still under construction. The RCC structure of terminal building is also completed. “The work of truss is left and it will be completed by January,” he said. Truss work of hanger building is still left. It is targeted to be complete within December, he said. The main entrance of the airport terminal building is one kilometer away from the Prithvi Highway.

“After the work of RCC, electrical lights need to be purchased along with other essential equipment, and they will be installed,” he said, “We hope to complete 75% of works by this fiscal year.”

The required equipments will be purchased from Europe, which will be installed by next year, he added. Over 500 workers -- both Nepali and Chinese nationals -- have been employed for the construction works. According to Munakarmi, there is demand for more land as private airlines will require parking space and Nepal Oil Corporation needs storage facility. Total 3,106 ropani of lands were acquired for the airport in 2005, and additional 629 ropanis were acquired later. The airport, with 45 meters wide and 2,500 meters long runway, can operate aircraft as big as Boeing 757.

It is estimated that Rs 21.47 billion will be required to complete the construction works. Construction works had started after agreements between Nepal's Ministry of Finance and China's Export-Import (EXIM) Bank for loans and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) and Chinese company CMMC Engineering for construction.

 
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