DHARAN, Jan 5: Construction of an airport in Dharan, which had been halted for more than a decade, has finally resumed. 

Work on the airport resumed after the government allocated Rs 20 million for the project. Of the amount, Rs 5 million has been allocated to conduct detailed survey, while remaining Rs 15 million has been set aside to prepare Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report and for other construction works.

Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City and locals of Dharan have kept the project in high priority since about a decade.

According to Civil Aviation Authority Nepal (CAAN), the airport, upon completion, will support take off and landing of aircraft of up to ATR 42. 

Puspa Raj Neupane, an engineer of CAAN, said that they have already sent ToR and scoping document to prepare EIA report to the concerned ministry. “Though we need the ministry’s approval for EIA, we can start work of detailed survey very soon,” Acharya, who came to Dharan to hold discussion with local authorities, said.

According to Neupane, detailed engineering survey of the project was done five years ago. The survey had showed that only smaller aircraft can land at the airport.

“We are doing detailed study again to construct bigger airport,” Neupane said.

Bishnu Prasad Koirala, information officer of CAAN, said the airport will be crucial for the development of Dharan. He also added that the Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City will provide seven bigaha of land for the airport. 

Dharan sub-metropolis had started the process to build airport in 2004 AD with the help of Yeti Incorporate Pvt Ltd under public private partnership. Locals of Dadaghopa in Dharan-17 had sold the land to the private firm on condition that the land has to be returned if construction does not start within six months.

 
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