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New Pokhara International Airport in Nepal

Pokhara International Airport is now being built as a long-term alternative to Kathmandu International Airport. The only international airport in Kathmandu is plagued by issues like plane traffic, parking shortages, and outdated equipment. In other words, the opening of Pokhara Regional International airport would herald the start of a new era for the aviation sector.

The Nepali government is proud of two international airports, Gautam Buddha International Airport and Neejgadh International Airport. By the end of March 2021, CAAN and the Nepali government also intend to build and open Lumbini’s Gautam Buddha International Airport.

According to the national pride project plan, Pokhara Regional International Airport was supposed to be finished on July 10, 2021; however, due to delays caused by the Covid-19 second wave and maybe the third one, the deadline has been extended until July 10, 2022.
Date: 8 August 2021.

 

An Alternative to Kathmandu Is Pokhara’s New International Airport

 

There is already one tiny domestic airport in addition to the recently built Pokhara International Airport. This Pokhara International Airport is being built in the region of Gandaki by the Nepali government. There are only 3 kilometers between it and the modern domestic airport. In 1975, locals sold the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) 155 Hectors of land. However, when Pokhara International Airport is finished, its entire area will be more than 200 Hector.

This airport will feature one runway that is 2500 meters long and 45 meters wide. As a result, Pokhara International Airport has enough parking spaces, terminals, and hangars to accommodate aircraft like the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737. After the Pokhara Regional International Airport operation, there will be reduced aviation traffic at Tribhuvan International Airport.

Travelers will now have the choice to arrive from foreign planes at Lumbini, Pokhara, or Kathmandu.

Three years ago, Honorable Prime Minister KP Oli lay the foundation stone to welcome the world tourist directly to Pokhara. In July 2021, the project is scheduled to be completed and delivered to the government of Nepal. So, despite the coronavirus lockdown, the construction worker continued to work nonstop to fulfill the deadline.

To finish 92% of the work by 2020, the employees are working incredibly hard. In a similar line, the remaining 8% must be completed by September 2021 in order to prepare for the opening of Pokhara International Airport. It will enable thousands of trekkers and tourists to avoid Kathmandu’s congested air and terrain. Additionally, it will support tourism promotion and economic and social growth.

 

Construction and Funding of New airport of Pokhara

 

The Chinese CAMC Engineering was hired by the Nepali Civil Aviation Authority to construct this massive project in Pokhara. The deal was signed by CAMC and the Nepal Tourism Ministry in May 2014. However, the building process starts in April 2016. CAAN awarded the engineering, procurement, and construction contract to CAMC Engineer Company for an airport.

In addition, EXIM Bank of China agreed to provide the Nepalese Ministry of Finance $215.96 million. Following all the steps, work began in July 2016. During development, this airport project employed a large number of people, and this trend has continued into the operation phase. Over 62% of the project has already been finished, according to the Civil Aviation Department’s most recent construction progress reports.

When the Pokhara International Airport is finished, both domestic and foreign travelers will benefit. additionally, have the choice of landing in Pokhara Pokhara is a popular tourist location, therefore travelers prefer it to the congested transportation in Kathmandu. In fact, this will act as an aerial entrance to the most well-known trekking in the Annapurna region.

 

Best Trekking From Pokhara Airport

 

Following the capital city of Kathmandu, Pokhara is the second-largest city in Nepal. Pokhara is the best city because of its natural splendor, which includes the Himalayas, lakes, valleys, forests, and a hub for adventure activities.

They are encircled in the northeast by the Manaslu Trekking Region, Mustang, and the north by the Annapurna Trekking Region. Similarly, Pokhara serves as a hub for hiking in Nepal thanks to Dhorpatan and Baglung to the west. It will be simpler for you to do the numerous hiking in Nepal in your limited period once the Pokhara International Airport is operational. Every trekker will profit from the Pokhara Airport in the area of this Best Short Trekking from Pokhara.

 

10 Best Trekking From Pokhara International Airport

 

 

Some Facts about the New International Airport of Nepal

 

  • After 40 years of fraudulent planning beginning in 1976, the Pokhara International Airport’s construction was finally begun in April 2016.
  • It cost US$ 305 million to build, is scheduled to be finished in 2021, and was built by China CAMC Engineering.
  • The airport will have a parallel taxiway and a 2500-meter concrete runway that can accommodate medium-range aircraft like the Airbus 320 and Boeing 747/757.
  • Five narrow-body aircraft may be parked in the parking bay.
  • The 14,000 square meters Pokhara Regional International Airport will have two terminals.
  • The first one, which has 6000 square meters of space, is domestic, and the second, which has 8,000 square meters of space, will each accommodate one million passengers a year.
  • The runway, taxi parking, terminal building, and apron have all been finished so far.

Uncertainty exists on whether the Pokhara International Airport will add new air routes, destinations, or flights that the Kathmandu International Airport lacks or if it will merely accept 20% of the inbound and outbound flights from Tribhuvan International Airport.

 

The New Airport of Gandaki, Nepal is the Habitat of Vulture and Eagle

 

The Pokhara Regional International Airport’s construction is still ongoing as of the Kantipur Daily’s news report on September 10, 2020. However, birds like vultures and eagles present fresh difficulties. Several bird conservation organizations active in the Pokhara and Lekhnath region caution the Pokhara International Management Committee and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to create practical solutions to this issue.

In the end, this aids airport management in preventing unforeseen accidents in the future. The leader of the Birds Conservation Program continues by stating that the ideal habitat for these large, endangered carnivorous birds is found in two rivers, the Frushe Khola to the south of the airport and the Bijayapur River to the east. These rivers serve as food sources since they transport numerous dead animals from a great distance.

 

Pokhara International Airport Completion Get Delay: News Update July 7, 2021

 

The building of Pokhara International Airport will be finished on July 6, 2021, according to Nepalese online news. It falls under the national price project, nevertheless.

Prior to the Covid-19 epidemic, it was planned to be finished by mid-July 2021, but it was unable to meet this deadline. As Nepal implements a 72-day nationwide lockdown from April to June, the second wave of Covid-19, according to the deputy manager of the Pokhara International Airport Project, is to blame for the delay. The number of workers had decreased from 500 to 200, but the task was still being done.

We need 300 Chinese technical workers to finish the project on schedule, but because to the Covid-19 second wave, everyone is out of control. 160 Chinese technical workers are now on the task.

According to the June report, only 94% of the physical work at Pokhara International Airport has been completed as opposed to 92% in December 2020. The taxi parking, terminal, apron, and runway construction portions are now finished. But because of the delay, the Pokhara International Airport won’t be finished until March 2022.

 

Update on timeline

 

  • Land totaling 155 Hectors was purchased starting in 1976.
  • a $215.96 million loan from the EXIM Bank of China.
  • 2014 saw the signing of a contract between the Nepali government and CAMC Engineering.
  • Physical construction begins in July 2016.
  • By July 28, 2020, 62% of the physical construction will be finished.
  • One of the governments of Nepal’s “Pride” projects.
  • Lockdown and the global COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic have a smaller impact.
  • The second Covid-19 wave caused the Pokhara Airport’s completion to be delayed by six months.
  • Only 92% of the jobs are finished by the end of June 2021, down from 90% in December 2020.
  • March 2022 is the new completion date

According to the national pride project’s plan, Pokhara Regional International Airport was supposed to be finished on July 10, 2021, but the deadline has been pushed back to July 10, 2022, because of delays caused by the Covid-19 second wave and possibly the third, according to project manager V. Munakarmi.

 

More information on Pokhara International Airport

 

According to Prem Bahadur Ale, minister of culture, tourism, and civil aviation, Pokhara International Airport will now link Pokhara with the rest of the world. After the Chinese government handed over Pokhara International Airport to Nepal yesterday, he gave the airport construction company a letter of appreciation and stated that the operation of Pokhara Regional International Airport would now help to promote Nepal’s tourism and attract more visitors to Nepal.

He complimented Pokhara’s tourism business owners and urged them to construct sizable hotels and implement package tourism promotion programs there. Since tourists from all over the world were now visiting Pokhara, Minister Ale advocated that not just five-star hotels but also seven-star hotels be constructed there.

Minister Ale further stated that the ministry would offer the support required for the opening of substantial hotels and casinos. Pokhara’s residents were congratulated by Minister Ale for helping to fund the development of the city’s international airport. He claimed that the historic operation of the Bhairahawa and Pokhara International airports demonstrated how important they would be to the growth and marketing of Nepal’s tourism industry. Minister Ale also recalled the significant contribution made to finishing the airport’s construction by Rabindra Adhikari, who served as the department’s tourism minister at the time.

 

Travel to Pokhara

 

Many trekkers discover their Shangri-La here at the entrance to the Annapurna area. The mesmerizing beauty of Pokhara has inspired numerous travel writers. This location is known as “the Jewel of the Himalaya” for its pure air, breathtaking snow-capped peaks of the Annapurna Range, and the tranquil Phewa, Begnas, and Rupa Lakes. It is the beginning point for treks into the Annapurna Himalaya, which dominates the skyline, and is home to incredibly kind and interesting people. The largest lake in the valley, Fewa Tal, was originally used as a camping location for hikers before gradually becoming the city’s tourist center.

 

Major Attraction of Pokhara

 

  • Visit Fewa Lake, one of Nepal’s largest and arguably most stunning lakes. You can enjoy boating on its calm waters and savor delectable cuisines at one of the many eateries that line the lakeside here.
  • Investigate the Mahendra Cave, a sizable limestone cavern well-known for its stalactite and stalagmite rock formations.
  • Admire the World Peace Pagoda, which is located on Fewa Lake’s southern edge. It features four Buddha figures facing in each of the four cardinal directions. The pagoda’s dome is a striking sight. It is an excellent vantage point with breathtaking views of the Annapurna.
  • Visit the historic Pokhara Bazaar. This traditional market serves as a vibrant meeting place for a variety of ethnic traders. The temples and other structures in the market are strikingly similar to the Newari architecture found in the Kathmandu Valley. One of Pokhara’s most significant shrines, the Bindhyabasini Mandir, a white dome-like building on top of a hill, is also located in the ancient market.
  • Enjoy Pokhara’s superb prospects for birdwatching.
  • Head to Devil’s Fall, also referred to as the Patale Chhango, with your camera in hand. On the Siddhartha Highway, this stunning waterfall is situated around 2 kilometers southwest of the Pokhara Airport.
  • Explore the Annapurna region on spectacular trekking excursions.
  • Enjoy a day walk to adjacent small settlements to get a sense of the local culture.

 

Conclusion

 

There are no restrictions; alternate between trekking in the Dhaulagiri and Manaslu Himalayas, which you may begin from Pokhara, and the Annapurna Trekking Region. In addition to the aforementioned renowned treks, additional trekking locations will emerge with the opening of Pokhara International Airport. In summary, the Pokhara International Airport not only makes it easier for you to arrive right away but also supports the tourism industry and the Nepalese economy. Similarly, the airport is expected to open really soon.

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