Simkot Airport expansion work stalled

By Our Correspondent,Humla, Nov. 19: The expansion work of Simkot Airport could not progress as the government has not allocated any budget for the expansion work in the red book for the current fiscal year. 

Mahendra Bahadur Singh, Chief of the Civil Aviation Authority's Simkot branch, said that the expansion work could not move forward because the government did not allocate a budget in the current fiscal year. 

He said that although all the required tasks from the district for the airport expansion had been completed, the compensation work could not proceed due to the lack of budget.

According to the Authority, the land acquisition for airport expansion could have progressed even if the government had allocated even a small budget. The process for acquiring land, about 150 metres west of the current airport, has been completed. A total of 60.81 ropanis of land is planned to be acquired for the airport expansion. An estimated budget of Rs. 350 to 400 is needed for compensation. Additionally, nine houses will also be acquired in the process. 

In contrast, the expansion work of Jumla Airport has progressed due to the availability of a budget.