The expansion plan of Bharatpur Domestic Airport in Chitwan is progressing. Along with the availability of 14 bighas of land required for the expansion of the runway, the work has also advanced as the Nepal Army has made the land available.
For the expansion of the runway, the Army has made land available where the horse breeding center is currently operational. The government has allocated land in Shaktikhor, Eastern Nawalpur, for the operation of the horse breeding center for Nepal Army.
A three-member committee has been formed for the survey and facilitation of the construction of the runway expansion and the horse breeding center. The committee comprises representatives from Bharatpur Metropolitan City, the Authority’s engineers, and the Army as informed by the spokesperson of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), Jagnnath Niroula.
The tender process for the runway expansion is expected to proceed once the survey work is completed. For the construction of the horse breeding center, CAAN will provide 350 million rupees to the Army.
It is estimated that around one billion rupees will be spent on necessary structures, electronic, and mechanical works for the expansion of the runway and for night flights at the airport.
The urgency of the runway expansion is evident as currently only AT-42 aircraft can operate at the airport. Buddha Air is the only airline operating these aircraft. However, even the operation of these aircraft is limited due to hourly flight restrictions. With the expansion of the runway, AT-72 aircraft could also operate, making it possible for Bharatpur Airport to handle outbound flights.
This is why the CAAN has started to expedite the runway expansion with determination. According to the Authority, the runway expansion work will be completed within two years, and the operation of AT-72 aircraft will commence.
There were delays in acquiring land for the relocation of the Army’s horse breeding center, which was identified for the relocation as part of the runway expansion plan. Although initially it was proposed to relocate it to Nepal Trust’s land, it wasn’t possible due to legal obstacles. Now, with the government’s decision to allocate land in Shaktikhor for the horse breeding center, work has begun.
The discussion on the expansion of the airport has been ongoing for more than a decade. A committee was formed under the leadership of the Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation (MoCTA), Yogesh Bhattarai, to study the expansion of the airport. The committee had presented a report, stating that the expansion of the airport was inevitable.
Earlier suggestions included relocating the horse breeding center of the Nepali Army, which is located near the airport, to facilitate the expansion. The study team also suggested removing obstacles around the airport. The progress of the runway expansion has been accelerated based on these recommendations.
The runway at Bharatpur Airport, which is currently 1300 meters long, will be expanded to 1650 meters. Additionally, the construction of a modern terminal building at Bharatpur Airport has also begun, estimated to cost 1.7 billion rupees.
