After the construction of Gautam Budh International Airport at Bhairahawa was completed and came into operation, the leaders/leaders of Rupandehi and the surrounding area used to puff up their chests and talk about 'prosperity'. They were saying that after the operation of the airport, there will be a transformation in the district's tourism and related businesses.

However, they have started to express their disappointment after not having an international flight address for a long time. The people who previously played a role in the operation of the airport are now starting to insist on pressure programs. 

The airport was put into operation on May 2, 2079 on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti. The then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba inaugurated it. Deuba is still the main leader of the ruling coalition. Bishnu Paudel, who is a member of the House of Representatives from Rupandehi-2, who made a speech saying that he has a role in the construction and operation of the airport, is the finance minister.

However, the airport has been without international flights for 5 months. There are no international flights from here since April 2025. The flights that were operated before that are also seasonal. During the elections in the rural areas of the district, the candidates make irrigation and fertilizer supply their main slogan.

However, irrigation and fertilizer supply never seem to be easy after winning the election. Locals say that there is a possibility that the issue of Gautam Budh International Airport operation will be limited to election slogans in the coming days . Excited about the operation of the airport, they stopped talking. 

Investors say that the hotel/restaurant that they have invested in targeting the airport is going to be sold without running. Siddharth Hospitality Group's Chief Operating Officer Laxman Thapa said that since the time for making promises is over, they should show it by operating regular international flights.

"Employment, income and potential opportunities are being lost every month because of lack of international flights," he said.

He said that the direct/indirect employment opportunities expected by the local community are being lost as the investments made in hotels, restaurants and transport sectors in and around Lumbini are not getting returns. "Delay in international flights even after a long time has passed since the infrastructure is ready is a loss not only for tourism but for the entire economy," he said.

Last year in October-October, there was a lot of excitement when 5 different international airlines started flying from here. When Kuwait's Jazeera, Fly Dubai, Thai Aasia, Qatar Airways and Nepal Airlines flew for 4/5 months, the atmosphere of the airport was different. Three years ago, the necessary preparations for the operation of the international airport were completed . 

There are a total of 141 staff posts under the Civil Aviation Authority. Among them, 87 employees are working according to the rank under the leadership of the general manager. Apart from that, there are 24 service providers and 60 daily wage employees. Around 70 soldiers are deployed for airport security. 

There are 185 posts of Nepal Police under the leadership of SSP. Customs, immigration, national investigation, transportation and warehouse management companies, commercial banks and other offices necessary for international flights are operational. There was already a depot of Oil Corporation for fuel at the airport.

After the international airport came into operation, the depot has been upgraded . Parking has been arranged in the airport premises. The Health Desk is in operation . According to International Airport Information Officer Binod Singh Rawat, there have been 12 scheduled flights since April 14, 2025.

In order to attract airlines for international flights from Bhairahawa, the government has provided discounts on take-off/landing and ground handling this year as well. According to Rawat, the landing, parking and navigation and passenger service charges for the airline companies flying/landing from here have been completely exempted. 75 percent discount is provided on ground handling . There is a one hundred dollar discount on aviation fuel.

'There has been a demand for Thai Air Asia to fly twice a week under the winter schedule,' he said, 'as the tourist arrival season is coming, the number of flights may increase.' A year ago, the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation had prepared an action plan for the operation of airports in Bhairahawa and Pokhara. 

According to the action plan, the Ministry of Labor and Employment said that the necessary labor, medical, visa and other offices for the operation of the airport will be operated in Bhairahawa and Pokhara . So far, labor, medical, visa, cargo, quarantine and other topics have not been addressed.

The former president of Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Natta) Lumbini Province, Sagar Adhikari said that due to insufficient facilitation by the government and failure of the private sector to take planned initiatives in time, the difficulty in operating the airport was seen. According to him, Bhairahawa does not have labor approval, visa service, health examination, manpower, normal tea, coffee and water drinking facilities for passengers returning from the plane and bank facilities.

"It is not that the private sector has not tried to operate the airport regularly, but it is not enough," he said, "There is no unity among the private sector organizations." As a result, in the past, pressure-based programs by some organizations were not effective due to the lack of public participation.' 

He said that unless citizens are informed about the advantages of operating the airport and the disadvantages of not operating, there is no justification for the pressure program. He said that by taking necessary diplomatic initiatives for regular international flights, if only Bhairahawa-New Delhi flights can be made, the tourism of this region will increase .  According to

officials, the private sector has invested 80 billion in hotels, restaurants, transportation and tourism infrastructure after the operation of the airport in Rupandehi alone. Such investments are at risk due to lack of international flights. "146 hotels have been opened with an investment of 30 billion," he said, "21 hotels are under construction with an additional investment of 20 billion". Bishnu Prasad Sharma, the former president of Siddhartha Udyog Commerce Association, said that the necessary offices like labor, visa center, medical examination and manpower should be opened in Bhairahawa for airport operation. 

"Big leaders should be shaken for the quick operation of the office", he said, "If our demands are not met, we should boycott the elections in the future."

Netra Prasad Acharya, president of Siddharth Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that during Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's upcoming visit to India, the issue of Bhairahawa Airport should be made the first agenda. "In order to set a diplomatic agenda, the Prime Minister should be told about this, and pressure should be given if necessary," he said, "There are talks of protests and election boycotts without any skill." "Now there is no alternative to a decisive movement," he said, "we have drawn the attention of the Chief Minister, Departmental Ministers, Deputy Prime Ministers, former Prime Ministers and Prime Ministers, but no matter how much we tried, the government did not listen to us." According to him, more than 80 billion has already been invested in the tourism sector targeting the airport. "Now investment has reached a state of sinking," he said, "therefore we should not remain silent, decisive movement should be made." "If there was the will, visa centers, insurance companies, health institutions, and manpower agencies that were announced three years ago could have opened here," he said, "Now it seems that the pressure will have to increase." After the discussion between the private sector and organizations held in Bhairahawa on Sunday, the 'Struggle for regular operation of Gautam Buddha Airport' committee was formed under the coordination of Khan. Netra Prasad Acharya, President of Siddhartha Industry and Commerce Association, said that the committee was formed after the private sector and stakeholders participating in the

discussion expressed the need to fight. The co-coordinator of the committee is Uma Adhikari, the deputy head of Siddharth Nagar and the members are Chandra Prakash Shrestha, President of Siddharth Hotel Association Nepal, Siddharth Udyog Commerce Association President Acharya, Udyog Business Organization (Chamber of Commerce), Darpan Shrestha, President of Rupandehi . 

Similarly, Mahendra Kumar Shrestha, former president of Siddharth Industry and Commerce Association, Bishnu Prasad Sharma, former president of the association and tourism businessman, and Anil Kumar Gyawali, president of Siddharth Network, Rupandehi are members. The committee will prepare a plan about the problems encountered in the operation of the airport, solutions and struggle programs within at least one week.