Aviation Infrastructure

Renowned as an attractive tourist destination worldwide, Nepal has made great strides in the advancement of aviation infrastructure as the nation aims to expedite development works and give a boost to the multifaceted tourism industry. The much-awaited Pokhara International Airport (PIA) has come into operation officially since the first day of 2023, bringing a lot of cheers to tourism stakeholders as well as local residents. Located at Chhine Danda of Pokhara Metropolis in Kaski district, the newly-built airport is projected to handle one million passengers annually. The PIA was a dream of the locals. The airport lies just three-kilometre east of the existing domestic airport of this beautiful lake city and 200-km west of Kathmandu. The new aviation facility is situated at an elevation of about 800 metres above sea level. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ inaugurated the airport amidst a special ceremony held in Pokhara on Monday. With the opening of this airport, a positive message has been sent to the world that Pokhara, a major tourist hotspot of the nation, now boasts of an additional facility. 

PIA is Nepal's third international airport after the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu and the Gautama Buddha International Airport (GBIA) in Bhairahawa. GBIA was thrown open in mid-May last year. That Nepal has put two more international airports into operation in less than eight months is a testimony to the fact that the country has made substantial progress in the aviation infrastructure. Being an established tourist destination, Pokhara hosts hundreds of thousands of domestic and international travellers every year. The city is also a gateway to the world-famous Annapurna Region which offers a myriad of tourist attractions ranging from unmatched scenic beauty coupled with numerous snow-capped mountains to cultural diversity. This part of the country witnesses an influx of tourists in autumn and spring seasons. The operation of PIA is expected to immensely contribute to the promotion of Pokhara and neighbouring areas such as Jomsom, Lomanthang and Annapurna Circuit, among others. Religious sites like Muktinath and Galeshwar Dham may also receive more pilgrims from home and abroad.

The Rs. 22-billion project has materialised with a financial support from China. The Chinese CAMC Engineering Company has built it. The construction of the project completed in March last year. The completion ceremony was held virtually during the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on March 26. However, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) had announced to bring the airport into operation from January 1, 2023 as it had to carry out necessary groundworks. Test flights at the airport were conducted by Thailand's Aero Thai in November last year. The airport's runway is of ICAO-4D category and is 45-metre wide and 2500-metre long. With three international parking bays and eight domestic parking bays, B737 series and similar aircraft types can use it.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Prime Minister Prachanda said that it was an important opportunity for him to open the airport in Kaski which is the district of his birth. He hoped that the operation of the new airport would help the economic development of the nation as a whole. He also commended Shankar Raj Pathak, the architect of PIA, as his mentor and honoured him and all those who helped in the construction of the airport. He underlined the need to build the Nijgadh International Airport in Bara district as the expansion of air connectivity is essential for the landlocked nation like Nepal.