Good news about Gautam Buddha Airport coming soon: MP Agrawal
Prime Minister’s visit to India is expected to bring positive decisions on air routes, priority to airport operation and private sector collaboration
Radheshyam Bishwakarma/Nepal News Bank
Rupandehi. Member of the House of Representatives, Poonam Kumari Agrawal, has said that positive news will be received soon regarding the regular operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport and resolving the problem of international air routes. She said that she expects important achievements in the field of air routes and airport operations from the upcoming visit of the Prime Minister.
Speaking at a discussion program organized by the Chamber of Commerce Rupandehi in Bhairahawa on Saturday, MP Agrawal said that his main priority is to operate the Gautam Buddha International Airport at full capacity. She said that she has raised her voice in the parliament five times for the operation of the airport and claimed that the government is serious about it.
“We are going to get good news very soon. For that, we will have to wait for the visit of the honorable Prime Minister to India,” she said.
According to him, the problem seen in the operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport is not only related to the construction of the airport or infrastructure, but also to the air route, technical facilitation, attraction of international airlines and the participation of the private sector. He said that the government and the concerned bodies should move forward in coordination on these issues. Lawmaker Agrawal said that although other development works in Rupandehi Constituency No. 3 are important, the biggest priority is the regular operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport. Stating that she has been closely monitoring the development of Bhairahawa area since the last 14
-15 years, she stressed the need of bringing this airport, which has been developed as an alternative international airport after Kathmandu, in an effective manner.
“The airport has not even been operational, it has been in operation for four years. International airlines like Fly Dubai, Thai Air and Jazeera have also had flights. But those flights could not continue,” she said.
She said that there is no situation where international flights are not allowed at the airport, but the main challenge is not being able to maintain regularity. She said that for this, there should be a serious review of the technical problems, air routes and the business environment required by the airlines. Lawmaker Agrawal said that the use of Indian airspace and ease of air route was also important for the lack of regular international flights from Gautam Buddha International Airport. Viewing the Prime Minister’s visit to India as an important opportunity in this context, she expressed the belief that the issues related to air routes would be resolved through high-level talks between the two countries. He also said that Nepal should sensitively discuss the issues related to the Indian Military Airport in Gorakhpur and the security concerns related to it. However, she said that such issues should be resolved keeping the national interest at the center rather than raising them only for political or electoral interests.
Lawmaker Agrawal also expressed concern over the hassle of Nepali vehicles entering India for a long time, which the citizens, businessmen and transport entrepreneurs in the border areas have been facing for a long time.
She said that efforts are being made to end the situation where Nepali vehicles have to go to the Indian Embassy to take Nepali vehicles to India and face various procedural hassles. She was of the view that the process of vehicle entry should be simplified to facilitate the movement and trade activities between the two countries.
She said that not only the movement of people and goods but also the smooth movement of vehicles will be equally important to expand the economic activities in the border area. She said that positive results will be seen soon in this regard as well. Stating that the role of the private sector was significant in the country’s economic development, lawmaker Agrawal stressed the need for collaboration between the government and business community. He also stressed the need for active participation of the private sector in operation of Gautam Buddha International Airport.
Tourism entrepreneurs, industrialists, hoteliers and other stakeholders should also play a role in creating market in addition to the government’s efforts to attract international airlines, she added.
“Businessmen should not think that the same level of flight will be done in Bhairahawa in the same way as the airport is running in Kathmandu. Initially, there is production, then marketing and various facilities should be provided. Only then will it flourish,” she said.
In the budget process of Rs 27-28 crore for Siddhartha Stadium , MP Agrawal also presented the development of sports infrastructure as her priority. She informed that the budget allocation and construction process for the construction of Siddhartha Stadium has started.
The issue of the stadium, which has not been given priority in the budget after 2019, has now come up again. She said that the scheme, which started with Rs 6 crore initially, has now reached the stage of allocating a budget of Rs 27 to 28 crore.
The tourism, hotel and business sectors in and around Bhairahawa have not been able to reap the expected benefits as the Gautam Buddha International Airport, built at an investment of billions of rupees, has not been able to operate at full capacity. Industrialists and businessmen of Rupandehi have demanded that the investment of the private sector is at risk due to the uncertainty of the operation of the airport. Speakers participating in the discussion said that tourism and economic activities in the region would not be able to gain momentum until the Gautam Buddha International Airport was operated effectively. They urged the government to keep the operation of the airport in priority, attract international airlines and create a tourist-friendly environment. Krishna Prasad Ghimire, general secretary of Siddhartha Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that passengers are the first basis of airport operation and a strategy should be made to ensure passengers. According to him, the government should not only build the airport, but also create an environment where passengers can use the service.
‘The airport cannot survive without passengers. Therefore, an environment should be created for regular flights between Kathmandu and Bhairahawa. Foreign airlines should also be attracted to fly from here,” he said.
He pointed out that along with the airport, rail connectivity is necessary for the long-term economic development of Bhairahawa. He demanded that the area south of Danda Bridge should be taken into focus and the land should be managed and acquired and the railway and necessary physical infrastructure should be expanded.
Chairman of Nepal Hotel Association Lumbini Province Chandra Prakash Shrestha said that although the private sector has invested a lot in the hotel and tourism sector, it has not been able to get results due to the lack of regular operation of the airport. He said that although hotels, resorts and tourism infrastructures have been constructed targeting tourists in Bhairahawa, Lumbini and surrounding areas, air connectivity has not been effective and it has been difficult to attract the expected tourists.
He said that the government should make a clear policy and action plan regarding the operation of the airport. He pointed out that regular international flights are necessary to make the investment made by the private sector in the hope of operating the international airport profitable.
Nepal Association of Tours and Travels (NATTA) Lumbini Province President Chandra Bahadur Thapa said that tourists entering Nepal through the Indian border have been facing unnecessary hassles through various check posts and security personnel. Although there is the possibility of attracting a large number of Indian tourists to Lumbini and nearby tourist destinations due to the open border with India and ease of road network, he said that tourists are being discouraged due to the difficulty in the entry process. According to him, tourism in the Lumbini area can pick up the expected momentum only if the efforts to attract international tourists from the airport and easy service to the Indian tourists coming by land route. Entrepreneurs participating in the discussion said that Gautam Buddha International Airport should not be made the center of development, adding that equal priority should be given to Belahiya checkpoint, integrated check post (ICP), rail connectivity and road infrastructure. They were of the view that the infrastructure of the border and the transportation system should be made effective to systematize the trade relations with India and the border movement. They said that the expansion of connectivity with the railway would reduce the transportation cost of import and export and help in the expansion of industrial and trade activities. Narayan
Prasad Bhandari stressed on the need of linking the overall development of Bhairahawa with trade, transit, tourism and infrastructure. He was of the view that making the trade relations with India more effective and harnessing the potential of the border areas would contribute to the national economy.
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Chandra Gupta, president of India-Nepal Friendship Association, Rupandehi, also said that the management of the border points, transit facilities and infrastructure development should be given priority. He pointed out that coordination and cooperation between Nepal and India would be important for the development of the border areas.
The program was presided over by Sachin Rokka, President of Chamber of Commerce, Rupandehi and hosted by Laxmi Adhikari, General Secretary.
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