Minister vows to resume Jiri airport's operation

Charikot – Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Rabindra Adhikari, on Wednesday said he would take steps as part an effort to bring the Jiri airport back into operation. 

Minister Adhikari made the remark while on a visit to Jiri, a tourist hotspot on Dolakha. The Minister also inaugurated a school building constructed by a non – governmental organization in Kharidhunga of Dolakha. 

Minister Adhikari noted that Jiri remained ' a really beautiful and attractive tourist destination' during an interaction programme held near the runway of the airport. 

Acknowledging that transfer of the Jiri airport's authority to the agricultural ministry from the civil aviation authority in the past was a blunder, Adhikari made it clear that he will leave no stone unturned to bring back the authority within the jurisdiction of the civil aviation ministry and start internal flights to and from the airport. 

He added that Jiri airport would be suitable for tourist flights to Mt Everest and Mt Rolwaling and to ease the air traffic in Kathmandu. 

On the occasion, Jiri municipality's Mayor Tanka Bahadur Jirel apprised the participants of the efforts that were made in the past to resume the airports operation. 
---