Nijgadh suitable for building int’l airport: Experts

Published On: September 18, 2022 04:35 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, Sept 18: An expert group formed by the government regarding the construction of an international airport has handed over the study report to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

In the presence of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Jeevan Ram Shrestha, expert group coordinator Birendra Bahadur Deuja handed over the study report to Prime Minister Deuba at a program held at the Prime Minister's Residence Baluwatar on Sunday morning.

According to the order of the Supreme Court, the study report was prepared by the expert group formed according to the decision of the Council of Ministers on August 11 to study and submit a report for the construction of a full-fledged international airport. The conclusion of the expert group is that Nijgadh is suitable for building an international airport to handle the growing air traffic for Nepal's far-reaching development and economic prosperity.

According to the report, a suitable location for a full-capacity international airport is an area of about 4,000 hectares within an area of about 9,000 hectares between the Pasaha River and the Bakia River, which is connected to the Kathmandu-Terai Expressway (Fast Track) and the East-West Highway. The expert group has suggested that the airport city concept should be completely abandoned keeping in mind the Supreme Court's order to reduce tree cutting and environmental damage.

The report states that the Constitution of Nepal has given the government a constitutional obligation to make the necessary legal arrangements for proper balance between the environment and development in the work related to the country's development, as there are international laws and precedent principles propounded by the Supreme Court that the government can balance and manage the environment and development. According to the report of the expert group, the necessary land for the construction of a full-capacity international airport should be obtained and the affected stakeholders should be compensated, compensated and rehabilitated according to the law.

Similarly, Prime Minister Deuba said that the construction of the airport should not be delayed and thanked the expert group for studying and submitting the report on time. Minister Shrestha said that the work will proceed according to the report given by the expert group. He said that the construction of a full capacity international airport will be started soon.