Kathmandu: Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Badri Pandey inspected the under-construction Nepalgunj Airport during his visit to Banke district on Saturday.

Minister Pandey made the visit as part of his tour following the test flight at Kamalbazar Airport in Achham earlier the same day. The Nepalgunj Airport project, with an estimated cost of NPR 3 billion, aims to complete its new terminal building by mid-January 2026 (Poush 2082).

According to Bimal Paudel, an engineer from the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the construction work commenced in Magh 2079 under the leadership of the Sharma & Company, the main contractor. Minister Pandey expressed satisfaction with the progress, stating that he is confident the project will be completed on time.

Later today, Minister Pandey is scheduled to participate in the test flight at Kamalbazar Airport before returning to Kathmandu.