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A dozen airports to be upgraded

Tuesday - 13th February 2007

KATHMANDU, Feb 13 - The government is preparing to facelift around a dozen airports in remote areas by improving and upgrading their physical infrastructure.

Runways at those airports will be blacktopped and extended, terminal buildings will be built and other necessary equipment like reliable communication system will be put in place, Yagya Prasad Gautam, director general at Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) said.

The airports wherein the improvements are being mulled are Taplejung, Simikot, Rara (in Mugu), Dolpa, Manang, Kalikot, Tumlingtar and Rumjatar (in Okhaldhunga), Bajura, Salley (in Rukum), and Khanidanda (in Khotang). All of those are categorized as short take-off and landing (STOL) airports.

The plan that Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is going to implement with the financial assistance of the World Bank is estimated to cost around Rs 1.58 billion.

“Some of these airports like Mugu, Salley, and Bajura do not even have basic infrastructure such as terminal tower to contact with crew of aircraft. The flights rely on mobile single sideband (SSB) sets at airports,” Gautam told The Kathmandu Post. “They are in urgent need of improvement.”

The authority has already forwarded the proposal to modernize those airports to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), which is to arrange resources.

An official at the MoCTCA said the ministry has approached the World Bank (WB) for financial support, and the WB has expressed willingness to extend it. “Talks are moving ahead to seal an agreement for this purpose,” he said.

Bikash Rana, president of Nepal Airlines Association said the upgrading and improvement of airports will encourage airlines to fly there, as it would reduce their operating costs.

“Normally, aircraft incur high wear and tear while flying to STOL airports. Wheels and brakes get damaged earlier than normal due to poor runway infrastructure,” he said.

When runways are blacktopped and are extended, the aircraft need not make rough landings. “Besides, the improved runway will not cause undue pressure on brakes,” Rana added.

Moreover, the expansion of airports will also enable comparatively larger aircraft to fly in, which in turn will benefit the locals.

There are around 35 airports in operation in the country, many without necessary infrastructure and equipment support.


Source ekantipur.com