Runway rehabilitation begins at TIA; flight service smoot

Kathmandu / Apr 2:Runway rehabilitation has begun at the country’s only international airport, Tribhuvan International Airport, in a full-fledged manner.

Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the regulatory body of aviation sector has put in place upgradation of the runway since last Monday evening. Chief of Air Traffic Controller (ATC), Sitaram Bhandari informed that the flights were being smooth at the airport following the first day renovation works.

Flights landing and takeoff have been running smoothly since 8:00 am today even after renovation, he informed. The narrow-body Airbus of Nepal Airlines was the first to land at the airport today while Jet Airbus was the first to take off.

According to the airport sources, the domestic flights are being smoothly operated from the airport. In order to advance runway rehab, the airport is scheduled to be closed for 10 hours a day for the next three months from April 1.

Around 80 metres of the runway was tarmacked in the first day of renovation, informed Director of Air Transport Capacity Enhancement Project of CAAN, Baburam Poudel.

The TIA which has been operational for 22 hours a day would limit its service for 14 hours with the effect of renovation, the airport sources added. During the renovation, the airport would remain open from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm every day. Earlier, the airport was providing service from 6:00 am to 3:00 am.

The three-kilometre-long dilapidated runway of TIA would take three months for renovation. Maintenance works would start at 10:00 pm to 8:00 am every day. The existing pitch of the runway would be removed and new pitch would be rehabilitated during the period.

Last November, CAAN had signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese Company, China National Agro Technology International Engineering Corporation for upgradation of the runway. The agreement of Rs 3.75 billion was signed with the company for the tarmacking of runway. The CAAN came up with a pan to completely rehabilitate the runway after the cracked runway was creating problems in course of landing and taking off of the aeroplanes. RSS