Kathmandu: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, announced that the modality for the construction and operation of the Nijgadh International Airport—a project recognized as one of national pride—will soon be finalized.
Speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly’s Committee on Federalism Strengthening and National Concerns, the minister emphasized the need to prioritize the development of this key infrastructure project.
“Nijgadh is indeed a national pride project, yet uncertainty still surrounds it. In this year’s budget speech, we committed to finalize the construction and operational modality. We will move forward with this task promptly,” said Minister Pandey.
He acknowledged that both the Pokhara and Gautam Buddha international airports have not yet been operating at full capacity, primarily due to a lack of passengers rather than inadequate air routes. To address this, the ministry has launched several initiatives aimed at increasing passenger traffic.
“Some airlines have reported millions in losses due to low passenger volume,” Pandey stated. “To boost numbers, we must ensure the availability of services like labour permit processing, manpower agencies, and medical screening in those areas.”
The minister also shared that six aircraft of Nepal Airlines are currently in operation and that directives have been issued to ensure uninterrupted services in the future. Plans are also underway, in coordination with provincial governments, to operate small aircraft in hilly districts to improve regional air connectivity.
Highlighting the government’s broader vision, Minister Pandey revealed plans to declare the upcoming decade as the “Tourism Priority Decade.”
To this end, the federal ministry is coordinating with all levels of government and the private sector to initiate tourism dialogue programs. He reiterated his commitment to policy and legal reforms and said that strategies to curb corruption and promote good governance are being actively implemented.
Tourism Ministry Secretary Hari Prasad Mainali also provided an update on efforts to commence regular international flights from the Bhairahawa and Pokhara international airports.
During the committee discussion, lawmakers stressed the need to finalize the operational modality for Nijgadh International Airport without further delay. They also called on the Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal to devise concrete plans for regular international flights from Pokhara and Bhairahawa, and to develop proper benchmarks for all national pride projects.
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