Pokhara International Airport formally inaugurated [In Pictures]

POKHARA: Pokhara’s long-cherished dream of having an international airport became a reality on Sunday.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal inaugurated the airport amid much fanfare and rejoicing. This is the country’s third international airport after Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu which serves the capital city Kathmandu and Gautam Buddha International Airport which serves Lumbini – the birthplace of Lord Buddha.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has moved all flights operating from Pokhara Airport to the new international airport from Sunday.

It, however, is not clear when international flights will start landing at the new airport which was first envisaged in the 1970s.

The foundation stone for the airport was laid by former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in 2016. The original completion date for the airport was July 2021, but this was delayed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The project was contracted to China CAMC Engineering in 2014, and the completed airport was handed over to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) by the Chinese company in March, 2021 during a visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

The airport was built using a $215 million loan from the China EXIM Bank and is capable of accommodating medium-sized jets such as the Airbus A320 and the Boeing 757.