Stakeholders say, ”The government can run it, but even if it is given to a private company, the airport should be run, there should be no delay.”
What you should know
After three years of operation, there was no destination for international flights, the stakeholders in Ruppandehi insisted that the Gautam Budh International Airport should be operated even if it was handed over to the private sector. They say that the airport should be run even if it is by calling for contracts at the international level for the operation.
They said that since the airport is connected to the future of the industrialists, businessmen and citizens of Rupandehi area, if the government cannot do it by itself, it should be entrusted to the private sector. They requested the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey for the necessary policy and legal facilitation to operate from the private sector.
Siddharth Nagar Municipality Chief Istiyak Ahmad Khan, who participated in the discussion on sustainable operation of Gautam Budh International Airport organized by Siddharth Industry and Commerce Association at Bhairahwa in Rupandehi on Saturday, claimed that the airport could not be operated due to government indifference. He said that there should be coordination between the local, state and federal governments for the operation of the airport.
"The airport cannot be operated by just one government," he said, "All three levels of government should work together to run the airport by positive branding of Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautama Buddha." He said that not operating the airport built in Lumbini, the center of Buddhist faith around the world, is like "getting goods and not moving." He said. "If the government cannot run it, let it be entrusted to the private sector," said Khan, "we are ready to cooperate." "The residents of Rupandehi have invested in everything from real estate to hotel business according to their status, looking at the airport," he said. There should be no delay in this.'
He said that after the airport is operational, the investments made in Ruppandehi will be saved and the government will not have to be scolded. Netra Prasad Acharya, president of Siddhartha Udyog Commerce Association, says that the government should clarify whether the airport will be operational or not. "We can't always be kept in despair," he said, "If it can't be done, it will happen if we can't."
Lumbini Province Vice President Kul Prasad Neupane said that the airport operation has been delayed due to the absence of the government's will to work. "It seems that even the syndicated businessmen in Kathmandu did not allow the airport to operate," said Unel. Mahendra Kumar Shrestha, the former president of Siddhartha Industry and Commerce Association emphasized that the Lumbini Development Fund and the monasteries there, the embassies of various countries in Nepal should also play a role in promoting the airport.
According to Bishnu Prasad Sharma, former president of the association and tourism businessman, there is difficulty in operating the airport due to the lack of coordination between the three levels of government. "Even if there were flights from here only to Uttar Pradesh in India, the people would get the facility," he said, "even the three levels of the government are not taking the initiative." Chandra Prakash Shrestha, president of Siddharth Hotel Association Nepal, said that if the airport is to be operated sustainably, the flights from Kathmandu to Gulf countries should be concentrated at Bhairahwa. He claims that it is the weakness of the government and the Civil Aviation Authority that the airline company does not want to come here. He said that billions of rupees were invested by the private sector targeting the airport, but when it did not come into operation, hotels and other businesses were auctioned by banks. "All the businesses worth 4 to 25 crores are in the bank's auction," he said, "Eight hotel banks have completed the auction." Still, he warned that the airport would boycott the by-election itself.
Tourism businessman Sanjeev Joshi complained that there is no skilled and sufficient staff for ground handling at the Bhairahawa airport, the security required by the airlines is not guaranteed, and the airline safety standards are not met. "For various reasons, international airlines do not want to fly regularly from Bhairahawa," he said.
Tourism businessman Sanjay Bajimay said that if the airport operates regularly, Bhairahawa can attract 3 million tourists a year. He urged them to pay attention to the fact that Indian tourists are also tourists in the tourism regulations. He says that hoteliers are drowning because the airport is not functioning. He also suggested to do promotional work by running Himalaya and Nepal Airlines. Natta Lumbini Province President Chandra Bahadur Thapa said that the government should inform about why the flights that were operated in the past were suspended.
General Manager of Gautam Buddha International Airport, Pratap Babu Tiwari, said that unless the facilities needed by passengers for international flights are provided locally, there will be difficulties in operating the airport. "Why do travelers come here after they have to go to Kathmandu for labor, visa, medical and manpower," he said, "these problems should be solved first."
Jazeera and Thai Air Asia, which had been flying for some time before, could not provide regularity despite getting 77 percent of passengers. For the time being, he insists on flying regularly even if it is through Nepal Airlines. He emphasized that domestic flights should also be made from Bhairahawa to Nepalgunj, Dhangadhi and other places.
'Connectivity should be increased. During the visit of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, the problem of ILS and air route should be solved by talking to India,' he said, 'Prime Minister is going to India, it is necessary to talk about this matter and reach an agreement.' He said that while the Gautam Budh International Airport located in Bhairahawa and Pokhara International Airport have been without flights for a long time, the private sector is going to be able to operate them.
'I think that openness should come because of the aviation policy,' he said, 'There was no question of giving the existing airports to the private sector. We are positive about giving non-operational airports to the private sector. But before that, the reasons for non-operation of the airport will be studied, he said. He said that if Gautam Buddha, which was built near Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, is not operational, none of the airports in the country will operate.
