Construction of Pokhara Airport won’t be halted: Minister Adhikari
POKHARA, June 25: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari has asserted that the construction of Pokhara Airport will not be halted in any manner.
Speaking at a press conference jointly organized by Press Chautari Nepal and Press Centre Kaski Chapter in Pokhara on Monday, Minister Adhikari clarified that although the experts have furnished many recommendations concerning the construction of the Airport, no recommendations suggest halting the construction of the same.
Adhikari shared that a 180-seater aircraft would soon land at the under-construction Airport in Pokhara.
He was confident that the construction of the Airport would be completed by 2021 and a budget worth 11 billion has been allocated in the current fiscal year for the same.
The Minister added that the government in its first 100 days has taken stride in reconstruction of quake-damaged heritages and construction and operation of airports in the country while the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has also made much progress in air traffic management.
On the progress in air traffic management, Minister Adhikari cited the operation of the only International Airport in the country-Tribhuvan International Airport- for continuous 21 hours.
“Tenders have been called for the reconstruction of the quake-damaged Dharahara while the reconstruction of Krisha Temple at Patan, Lalitpur has been completed,” informed Adhikari.
He said that the concerned authority would make sure that the high quality aircraft would bring in high-end tourists to Pokhara.
Minister Adhikari further said that the government was preparing to launch five-year plan and program within this month.
Preparations were afoot for observing Visit Nepal 2020 aimed at attracting as many as 2 million tourists in the country, according to him.
Press Chautari Nepal’s President Madhav Baral, journalists Ramji Lamsal and Krisha Dawadi among others drew the attention of the Minister towards the contemporary issues. RSS