The Chitwan-based Bharatpur Ariport will be closed for 10 days for repair and maintenance works.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority in Bharatpur, the airport will be shut from December 1 (Mangsir 15) to December 10 (Mangsir 24) for runaway overlay and expansion of the parking area.
Chief of Bharatpur Airport, Pawan Gautam, said that they had decided to shut the airport in order to upgrade the dilapidated runaway after holding a meeting with airlines companies and authorities concerned.
The airport’s runway has not been repaired in the last 20 years, thereby resulting in difficulties during take-off and landing, informed in-charge of the renovation project, Him Jyoti Thapa.
CAAN will publish a notice to all airlines companies as well as pilots about the repair works, Gautam informed. “The 1,200-meter long runaway will be completely overlaid while the 70/70 meters stretch parking lot will also be expanded to 90/80 meters.”
“The runaway overlay and expansion of parking area will, however, cause some inconveniences to the passengers,” Gautam added.
There is no alternative to completely shutting the airport for the renovation as the workers cannot function at night due to cold weather whereas the movement of airplanes hinders the works in the day, Thapa said.
Thapa further said that the Meghauli Airport in west Chitwan will serve as an alternative airport until the renovation works are completed.
Bharatpur Airport usually serves up to at least 800 passengers a day.
