The Civil Aviation Authority (CAN) has delayed the relocation of the Sinamangal Air Fuel Depot, which is considered highly sensitive. Although the cabinet meeting on 28 June 2081 decided to transfer the depot, CAN did not allocate four forts of land.

The modality of ownership and transfer of proposed land between Nepal Oil Corporation and CAN has not yet been finalized.

Oil Corporation Air Fuel Depot Sinamangal said that the transfer process was affected due to the fact that the designated site was not cleared. With the order of the government, the Corporation has accelerated the work of the Detailed Project Report (DPR). But the building of the Nepali Army has not been removed from the land where the depot is to be relocated," said engineer Man Bahadur Singh, the coordinator of the air fuel depot transfer and construction project of the corporation. "Pulchok Engineering College has completed the DPR work by about 90 percent and submitted the first draft. About 15 ropani land is under the army and forest," he said.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli instructed to relocate the depot on 28 July 2081 after the plane crash of Solar Airlines. The next day, a team including Industry, Commerce and Supply Minister Damodar Bhandari, Executive Director Chandika Bhatt also inspected the land. During the inspection, Minister Bhandari also instructed to transfer the depot immediately.

MPs have also been demanding that the depot at the airport, which is considered highly sensitive from the point of view of security, should be moved so that it can be used in the long term. In the industry and commerce and labor and consumer welfare committee meeting held last August, most of the MPs raised their voices to move the depot immediately. The corporation was also interested in the transfer. Can was also excited to relocate the depot. CAN had sent a letter to the corporation about 10 times for the transfer.

Can sent a letter to the corporation stating that the state has the responsibility to comply with the standards and recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). According to the same standards, CAN claimed that the master plan was prepared and infrastructure expansion was done. But Pradeep Yadav, head of the Sinamangal office, says that there has been turmoil lately.

Pulchok Engineer College is submitting DPR report on June 27. A detailed report with design and cost is forthcoming. The corporation is ready to proceed with the tender process from July 2082," Yadav said. But Can has been ignoring this issue. Concerns have increased that the project will be pushed back by another 5/7 years due to Can's negligence. According to

corporation, Can has to cut around 200 trees. The Council of Ministers has already given permission to cut trees in 2077. However, the corporation is alleging that Can is delaying the work.

CAN has designated a location to relocate the air fuel depot on the north-west side of the airport, on the west side of the International Aircraft Parking Apron, which is more than 500 meters away from the center line of the runway. Regarding the price of land, it was said that the land of all the locations within the airport is the same, the land was acquired for the depot in the past and it was also necessary to transfer it due to ICAO standards.

There is no option for the airport to keep the air fuel depot at a sufficient distance from the runway. As the parking of international ships will be close to the same place, the refilling work will also be easy from the same place,' CAN said in the letter sent to the corporation, 'The entire work of demolishing the current depot and building it at a new place is within the scope and responsibility of the corporation.' Tribhuvan International Airport has looked into this issue. The proposal has reached the ministry," said Shrestha, "there is no problem in cutting trees. It has also been agreed to move the army building and the golf court.'

Currently, the current depot is only 150 meters away from the center line of the runway. According to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, most of the depot area will fall within the taxiway and runway lines. At present, the distance from the center line of the 'parallel taxi way' to the center line of the runway is only 110 meters. According to the standard, the master plan has been updated to be 172.2 meters.

Problems seen at the proposed depot construction site

- Civil Aviation Authority to set aside four blocks of land designated for Nepal Oil Corporation