Surkhet Airport expansion to be completed by year-end

SURKHET, Dec 16: Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is completing the upgradation of Surkhet Airport within 15 days. The expansion of runway was halted for four years because of dispute between the locals and the government on the issue of compensation of land along with the delay from the side of CAAN and contractors in the implementation of the project.



The authorities in 2007 had decided to expand the runway by 200 meter and to blacktop it so that bigger aircraft could land and take-off.[break]



According to CAAN, after the expansion, the airport will be capable of handling bigger aircraft like Beechcraft or ATR42.



Following the delay, Regional Administrator of Mid-Western Region Sharada Prasad Trital had instructed the contractors and stakeholders to complete the expansion by December. “We are happy to be completing the project,” he said the delay was from the side of contractors.



Kathmandu based Galva Construction was chosen for the expansion of the project with a budget of Rs 2.6 million.



Following the stern instruction from the administrator, CAAN and contractor are speeding up the expansion. Summat Prasad Chaudhary, chief of CAAN, Surkeht said they would finish blacktopping by Wednesday. “It will take five more days to paint the runway,” he said after that even bigger aircraft will be able to take-off and land easily.



Managing Director of Navayug Travel and Tours Sridhar K.C said that the blacktopped airport will help the airlines to operate scheduled flight to Kathmandu and Pokhara.



The largest private operator Buddha Air has already announced its intention to operate direct flight in Surkhet-Kathmandu sector. Although national flag carrier Nepal Airlines Corporation and Sita Air were operating flights to Surkhet, it was not on regular basis. After the expansion, the runway of the airport will be 1,240 meter long.

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