Govt initiates debate on operating international airports on PPP model

Kathmandu / Dec 30: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has said the government had started a discussion on exploring the possibility for adopting a public-private partnership (PPP) model in the operations of international airports.

Minister Kiranti shared that the discussions include operations of Tribhuvan International Airport and recently constructed Bhairahawa-based Gautam Buddha International Airport and the Pokhara International Airport.

He shared this information during a meeting of the Delegated Management and Government Assurance Committee under the National Assembly at Singha Durbar on Friday.

Likewise, he apprised the meeting that efforts are underway to make the operations of commercial flights from international airports effective.

Newly built international airports have not been properly utilised and 22 domestic airports had already turned into pasture lands, according to him.

TIA will be unable to resist the traffic flows after some years despite its extension to its full capacity and the government sees the need of accelerating the construction of Nijgadh airport, the Minister argued.

Similarly, lawmakers Nar Bahadur Bista, Gomadevi Timilsina and Narapati Luhar demanded the government that it systematised the Narayanhiti Durbar Museum and objects of archeological importance.RSS