The reconstruction contract for the airport in Kanchanpur’s Majhgaun, even after two years, has still not progressed due to procedural delays. The reconstruction of the airport is undertaken to resume its operations. However, before acquiring land ownership, there has been a prolonged delay in conducting Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), hindering progress.
Mr. Minraj Ojha, Chief of Mahendranagar Airport Office, mentioned that it took ten months to obtain consent letters for EIA from the National Parks and Wildlife Department.
“Although the department forwarded the report with recommendations to Shuklaphanta National Park Office and received feedback, it took four more months until the department sent the consent letter for EIA. However, the delay in receiving the department’s consent for EIA has affected the reconstruction,” he said.
Some parts of Ratnavatika and Nepali Army’s land located to the South of the airport will be raised for airport elevation.
“Even though efforts have been made to acquire the required land for the airport, procedural delays in EIA and other processes have hindered the reconstruction,” he said. “Engineer consultancy has been appointed for EIA, but until the consent letter for EIA arrives from the department, there will be delays in the work.”
Under the first phase of construction, the airport office is actively engaged in building structures up to Ratnavatika, including the Runway. “The length of runway up to Ratnavatika will be 1,525 meters,” said the office chief. “If the army land acquisition is successful, the length of Runway will reach up to 1,800 meters.”
He indicated that the reconstruction of the airport, including a 1,800-meter Runway, will be completed in the second phase. Out of the allocated contract amount of 450 million Nepalese Rupees for the first phase of construction, 36 percent of the work has been completed. “Construction work has been completed up to 900m in Ratnavatika area,” he said. “People who will be affected by the upper body will be compensated first.”
The area of the airport is being surveyed, and even though it is on private land, the army has been facilitating the process. Some structures, including a playground of the army unit’s need to be handed over by the Army.
According to Ojha, the ownership process of the land is still underway, and a decision from the Cabinet is pending.
The airport construction is being undertaken in a partnership involving 15% from Bhimdatta Municipality, 10% from Chandani Municipality, 25% from the Sudurpashchim Pradesh Government, and 50% from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. An agreement worth 456.6 million Nepalese Rupees has been reached with Kancharam/KS/Uma and Company within three years to complete the construction.
The construction period extends until the coming February. The first phase will involve works such as taxiway and apron, while the second phase will focus on terminal building to approach road construction. The airport, operational from 2034 to 2057, was closed during times of crisis for security reasons.
