Submitting a report to Chairman of Constituent Assembly (CA) Subash Chandra Nembang on Tuesday on the status of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), members of the committee also said the government should focus on upgradation of TIA for promotion and growth of tourism industry.After a discussion carried out at the committee on August 10, a group of 17 parliamentarians led by the Rabindra Adhikari, chairman of the committee, had inspected TIA to find out the actual problems.
The report states that any infrastructure that poses threat to aviation safety as per the detail of Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS) as per International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and civil aviation standard of Nepal should be removed as soon as possible.
For this, the committee has pointed out the need for coordination among related ministries like Ministry of Local Development, Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, and Ministry of Affairs as well as municipal bodies, Kathmandu Valley Town Development Committee (KVTDC) and the Kathmandu Valley Development Authority (KVDA), among others, with Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) - the aviation sector regulator.
The Development Committee had started discussion on the issue after its attention was drawn by a news report which said an eight-storey house, belonging to one Santa Lal Shahi, had been creating problems for international airlines during takeoff and landing.
Due to the house, international airliners were forced to carry less weight to minimize the risk posed by the tall structure in proximity of the runway right in the flight path. The house is 300 meters from where airliners take off, according to officials of CAAN.
By carrying less weight, large airliners can take off earlier and gain enough height by the time they fly above the house. To reduce weight, airlines are either carrying fewer passengers or reducing cargo loads.
In the meeting held at the Development Committee on August 10, lawmakers had said that the issue was serious and that the government must take appropriate action without delay.
SUGGESTION FOR IMPROVEMENT OF SERVICES AT TIA
The committee has suggested CAAN to eliminate the system of embarkation and disembarkation cards at TIA and keep record of passengers by adopting latest technology. Adhikari said that the committee has suggested to CAAN to make necessary preparations to eliminate the provision of cards to reduce the crowd at immigration counter.
Similarly, the committee has suggested that Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) install modern technologies and hire skilled manpower to make its ground handling services effective.
The committee has also directed TIA authorities to work on interior decoration and beautification of airport, maintain hygiene and cleanliness in waiting areas and restrooms, arrange smoking zones, add sufficient restaurants and canteens, allocate separate space for senior citizens, upgrade the standard and quality of service, and motivate staff members to provide service with smile.
It has also instructed the concerned authority to allow the contractor for excavating soil from Pashupati quarry saying that it is nearer to the project site.
Only 14 percent of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Expansion Project has been completed so far. The project has to be completed by 2016, as per the agreement.
The Spanish contractor of the expansion project -- Constructora Sanjose -- has cited unavailability of soil as one of the reasons behind delay in the project.
Of the 2 million cubic meters of soil required for the expansion, the contractor has been able to excavate only around 400,000 cubic meters so far. The project has been halted for the time being due to unavailability of soil.
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