Several Nepali Airports Unoperational Despite State Investment

Pokhara. Some airports built without commercial plans have become fruitless state investments of billions of rupees as they have not been operational. Although there is momentum in the construction of some airports in the country, the concerned parties have not paid attention to their operation and sustainability, leaving them in a state of abandonment.

Some of these airports have become dilapidated even before coming into operation, while the built structures are found to be awaiting proper conservation and maintenance.

According to the latest report of the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority, four airports in Gandaki Province are closed. Balewa in Baglung, Dhorpatan, Palungtar in Gorkha, and Humde in Manang airports have not come into operation. Billions of rupees have been invested in infrastructure, including blacktopping the runway, to bring these airports, which have been closed for a long time, back into operation.

The government has aimed to develop closed airports like Balewa and Humde as adventure sports destinations such as paragliding and skydiving, but this has not materialized. The Authority blacktopped the runway of Balewa Airport in Ward 14 of Baglung Municipality five years ago at a cost of Rs 82.4 million.

Built in 2022 BS, the airport was closed in 2048 BS after the Pokhara-Baglung road was built. It was reopened on Chaitra 9, 2074 BS, 26 years later, but could not be sustained. Nepal and Tara Air had operated Twin Otter aircraft twice a week for some time.

An agreement was reached between the Civil Aviation Authority, airlines, and the municipality to bear the cost if the number of passengers in 19-seat capacity aircraft was less than 12, with the Baglung Municipality bearing the burden. Later, as the number of passengers decreased and the financial burden on the municipality increased, the air service was discontinued.

The Authority has blacktopped the 700-meter-long and 30-meter-wide runway of the airport. Small and medium-sized aircraft can take off and land on it. A consultant group formed by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation had also conducted an on-site inspection of Balewa Airport a few years ago.

After observing the runway, tower, and physical infrastructure, the study group indicated that the airport could be brought into operation at any time if there were air traffic control staff, airlines, and passengers. Raju Khadka, deputy mayor of the municipality, said that although discussions have been held about the alternative use of the airport, no concrete plan has been made.

"The municipality is always ready to coordinate and facilitate if the federal government makes a concrete decision and plan on whether to operate the airport or use it for alternative purposes," he said, "The state's investment should not be wasted; the airport must be utilized in some form."

Local people's representatives are confident that the airport can be operated if regular flights are ensured, fares are adjusted, and the road leading to the airport is upgraded. The 10 km road of the Kaligandaki Corridor connecting Malunga in Baglung-1 to the airport is currently being blacktopped.

Once the section is blacktopped, the airport will have easy access to the national highway. The municipality has repeatedly drawn the attention of the concerned bodies to bring the airport into operation.

It has been about a decade and a half since the runway of Humde Airport in Manang's Manang Nisyang Rural Municipality was blacktopped. The Authority blacktopped the runway of Humde in 2069 BS at a cost of Rs 90 million. After the runway was blacktopped, Summit Air's aircraft conducted a test flight at the airport in Bhadra 2076 BS.

Although the people of Manang were optimistic about regular flights after the test flight was successful, that enthusiasm is no longer present. Kanchha Ghale, the chairman of the rural municipality, said that although efforts were made to operate the airport, the airline companies have not shown interest.

"The rural municipality used to allocate some budget to attract airlines to fly, but we have stopped allocating the budget since this year," he said, "The airport is in a state of abandonment; state bodies have not shown any interest in it."

The airport, which was regularly operational from 2039 BS to 2068 BS, has been closed since then, said Chairman Ghale. Investments have been made in runway blacktopping and other infrastructure during this period, but they have gone to waste. Before the road reached Manang, locals used to travel by air. The airport was closed in 2069 BS after the road reached Chame, the headquarters of Manang.

Bibash Chintan, mayor of Palungtar Municipality in Gorkha, said that the government's plan to upgrade and operate Palungtar Airport has been stalled. He believes it would be more appropriate to use Palungtar Airport as a flight training center or for some other alternative purpose. He mentioned that with the ongoing upgrade of the Kathmandu-Pokhara highway, road transport services would be more effective in this region. The Mugling-Pokhara road has already been expanded to four lanes. The Kathmandu-Mugling road is in the process of being upgraded.

Palungtar Airport, which came into operation in 2018 BS, has been closed since 2035 BS. The airport was closed after the construction of the Prithvi Highway. Despite the government investing billions in runway, fencing, and other infrastructure work at the airport, it has not been brought into operation. Dhorpatan Airport, located in the Dhorpatan Valley of Baglung, which is the country's only hunting reserve, has also been closed for decades.

The airport runway has been converted into a grazing field. The airport area has been fenced and secured. According to the Authority, Rs 100 million has been spent on infrastructure at Humde, Rs 70 million at Palungtar, Rs 120 million at Balewa, and Rs 20 million at Dhorpatan Airport. Airports that were effective for passenger and cargo transport due to the lack of roads are now in disuse.