Kathmandu: Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, conducted an on-site inspection of the ongoing expansion work at Tribhuvan International Airport late last night. The inspection focused on key construction projects, including the parallel taxiway, international apron, and hangar apron, aimed at enhancing the airport’s capacity.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has been closing the airport for 10 hours daily since November 9 to facilitate the construction. The Air Transport Capacity Enhancement Project under CAAN is overseeing the development of a parallel taxiway on the southwest side, an international apron to the north, and a hangar apron on the eastern side of the airport.

During the inspection, Minister Pandey expressed satisfaction with the pace of construction and assured that the work would be completed on schedule. “The deployment of a large workforce and advanced equipment for these projects shows that large-scale development initiatives can meet their quality standards and timelines,” he remarked.

The Minister emphasized that the construction is progressing at a war footing, with all sections working intensively during the daily closures. “We initially planned to complete the work by April 1, 2025, with 10-hour daily closures. However, the current speed suggests the project might finish ahead of schedule,” he said.

Highlighting Nepal’s challenges with delayed projects, contract cancellations, and abandoned infrastructure, Minister Pandey expressed hope that the airport expansion would set a benchmark for timely and efficient project completion.

The expansion project is expected to significantly improve flight operations and service efficiency, benefiting both domestic and international passengers.