The Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation has requested the Finance Ministry to secure funding for the enlargement of three airports located in Karnali and Lumbini Provinces. A total of Rs 11 billion has been sought for the expansion of the airports in Surkhet and Jumla in Karnali Province, as well as the Tarigaon airport in Dang, Lumbini Province.
Prakash Pokharel, a section officer at the Tourism Ministry, reported that the Finance Ministry was advised to guarantee financial backing for the airport upgrades. Previously, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal suggested the government acquire land to enhance the airport capabilities.
Consequently, the Council of Ministers decided on Monday to ensure financial provisions. While Rs 5 billion was projected for land acquisition to enlarge Tarigaon airport in Dang, the Finance Ministry has been urged to allocate Rs 10 million and ensure a resource amounting to Rs 990. Likewise, the Finance Ministry has been asked to set aside Rs 100 million and guarantee resources totaling Rs 4.90 billion for securing land and expanding Surkhet airport. For Jumla airport, an estimated Rs 1 billion is required for land purchase and facility expansion, along with a request for Rs 100 million and resources of Rs 400. The Karnali Province administration, previously led by Chief Minister Mahendra Bahadur Shahi, had proposed an ambitious initiative to start the province’s own airline service.
However, the province’s intention to launch a domestic and inter-province air service called ‘Karnali Airlines’ remains uncertain. The Shahi administration had also declared plans for constructing a ‘high altitude’ airport in Mugu and an international standard airport in Surkhet.
A Chinese firm named ‘North West’ had even offered to conduct a feasibility study for the province free of charge. Currently, there are four flights daily between Kathmandu and Surkhet. The number of flights to upper Karnali has markedly decreased. In the year 2077 BS, the provincial government planned to even facilitate night flights from Surkhet airport by extending its runway to 1,500 meters.
