The government has officially said “yes” to building the Nijgadh International Airport. A meeting of important ministers decided this. They told the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation to start the project, based on what experts suggested. The budget for the year 2023/24 focuses on finishing the things we need to do before starting, like checking how it will affect the environment, helping people move, giving them money for their land, and taking care of the land.
Expert Recommendations and Supreme Court Ruling
On May 26, 2022, the Supreme Court canceled the government’s decision from 2021. After that, a team of experts, led by air infrastructure expert Birendra Bahadur Deuja, was put together. They looked into everything and gave their report on September 19, 2022. The experts recommended that the construction should happen in stages, and the government should use its own resources for it. The planned area for the airport is now much smaller. They’re focusing on Kolhabi Municipality and Jitpur Simra Jeetpursimara Sub-metropolitan City.
Future Prospect
While the Council of Ministers’ decision sets the project in motion, details on funding sources remain undisclosed. Advocates argue that Nijgadh International Airport, once operational, will alleviate traffic pressure for the next five decades, potentially accommodating up to 60 million passengers annually. Critics, however, maintain concerns about environmental impact and the need for such an extensive project.
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