Nilgai disrupts flights of Nepalgunj Airport

By Siraj Khan,Nepalgunj, Dec. 7: From boars hitting planes to rabbits disrupting flights, Nepalgunj Airport is a distinctly animal-prone airfield – a fact that came to light once again on Tuesday when a Nilgai wandered near the runway and caused five hours of ordeal.

The Nilgai came near the runway at 8 am, right as the first flights were about to take off. 

This forced the Civil Aviation Office (CAO) of Nepalgunj to raise a safety alarm and call in the police and the army.

The army and the police came. Yet, it took them nearly five hours to shoo the solitary Asian antelope, which only ran off at 12.30 pm.

However, while the Nilgai came near the runway, it was not allowed to enter airfield. “We encircled it and ensured that it could not disrupt any flights,” Suresh Prasad Khanal, head of the CAO, said. 

The runway at Nepalgunj Airport is surrounded by thick bushes and the wire mesh that is supposed to protect is susceptible to breaking. 

Both these things make the airport an ideal place for animals like hogs, jackals and Nilgai to come and hide and appear on the tarmac time and again. 

The issue gained national attention when three wild swine hit a Sita Air plane a few months ago. Fortunately, it did not cause any huge accident.

Dinesh Sejuwal who lives near the airport said that the authorities cleared some of the bushes and repaired the fence when there was an incident.

“After some time though, they lose interest and let the bushes grow. And the animals come back in,” he said.

Khanal, though, denied this and said that they maintained the wire mesh and cleared the bushes regularly.

Nepalgunj is one of the busiest airports in the country, with 14 flights taking off every day for Kathmandu and Pokhara alone. 

Apart from this, airline companies also make a dozen daily flights from the airport to the hilly districts of Karnali and Sudurpashchim provinces.