The frequency of flights to Tarigaun Airport, a domestic airport in Dang district, has been increased after an aviation fuel depot was established on its premises.
Situated in Ward No. 12 of Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City in Dang district, only two flights a week were allocated for the airport. However, after the depot has been established, the frequency of flights has been increased to five times a week.
According to Ganesh Aryal, chief of Tarigaun Airport, the flights were increased since the depot started providing refueling services on December 11.
“With the refueling facility, an airplane which carried only 13 passengers before will be carrying 17 passengers now. It is because the airplanes used to land in Tarigaun by carrying their fuel in jerrycans earlier,” said Aryal. Now, the airport is also planning to expand its runway.
“A new tower is also being constructed at full pace by allocating a budget of Rs. 10 million. We will start expanding the runway after completing a detailed survey report and securing permission from higher authorities,” said Aryal.
The airport was established in 1954 and its runway was blacktopped in 2012 under the special directives of the then Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Lokendra Bista Magar. After the flights to Tarigaun were increased, locals of Dang, as well as people living along the Rapti region, have felt relief.
It is because they had to reach Nepalgunj or Bhairahawa to catch a flight to Kathmandu due to lack of regular flights from Tarigaun. The flight fare from Dang to Kathmandu has been set at Rs. 8,810 at a minimum and Rs. 12,665 at maximum. It costs Rs. 200 more to return to Dang from Kathmandu.
Source : TRN,
