Govt. takes steps to construct Nijgadh airport by forming experts’ panel

July 19, Kathmandu: Following the verdict of the Supreme Court (SC) given in the recent past, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) have advanced needed steps to construct the Nijgadh International Airport.

The Ministry said an experts’ panel has been formed to locate an appropriate site for the airport to be constructed in Nijgadh.

The civil aviation’s regulatory body CAAN has decided to form the panel and the committee would get final shape after approval from the cabinet meeting within some days.

The construction of the Nijgadh International Airport would be forwarded based on the committee’s study report.

During a meeting of the International Relations Committee of the Federal parliament held on Monday, Minister for Tourism Jeevan Ram Shrestha shared that the airport would be constructed with least environmental damage based on the experts’ recommendation by considering the SC’s verdict to this end.

The Ministry has accorded top priority as per the SC’s verdict and the Ministry would take decision by conducting further studies from the experts’ panel.

The cost of the Nijgadh International Airport,is estimated to be around Rs 120 billion in the preliminary phase.

So far, as high as 8,050 hectares land is acquired and around Rs 3 billion is spent on the project. At the meeting, Committee’s Chairperson Pabitra Niraula Kharel said the project should be advanced without further delay since it was vital for Nepal’s development and economic prosperity.

She also said the Committee would take its decision after holding consultations with the Minister for Law and Justice by internalizing the full text of the SC’s verdict.