Expansion of the Nepalgunj Airport in Nepalgunj in Banke district that was halted for nearly six months due to COVID-19 pandemic has resumed recently.

Construction of the runway and terminal tower is underway, according to the Civil Aviation Office. The project has been divided into four phases as per the 20-year master plan to develop the domestic airport into an international airport.

The entire project is estimated to cost over Rs 12 billion with more than 3.5 billion to be spent in the first and second phase, said the Office Chief Prem Nath Thakur. The runway would be upgraded from 3C category to 4C category.

Additionally, over 100 bigha of the lands have been required for the expansion of the Airport as per the master plan. The Airport spanning across 166 bigha of the lands is second busiest Airport after the country’s first Airport-Tribhuvan International Airport- in Kathmandu.

Over 40 flights were being operated from and to this Airport on a daily basis prior to the pandemic

Source: National News Agency Nepal