DOTI: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai inaugurated three airports of Sudurpaschim Province amidst a program here today.

The new airports are Patan of Baitadi, Chainpur of Bajhang and Dipayal of Doti.

At the program, Minister Bhattarai said these airports would be operated smoothly in order to bring in tourists to Khaptad and Mansarobar area. “There will have regular flights so that it would help bring in tourists. However, cooperation from locals is imperative,” he stressed.

Contracts were being made with some private airlines to conduct regular flights in the hilly districts, he said, adding that efforts were underway to construct terminal and ATC buildings for the airports in Sudurpaschim Province.

Moreover, the Minister viewed that the airports halting service for long with the reason of low flight occupancy would be resumed. A technical team will be sent from the Civil Aviation Authority to study whether the runway of Dipayal airport could be expanded to 1,000 meters from the present 490 meters.

On the occasion, Federal lawmaker Prem Bahadur Alemagar stressed the need of regular flights to attract tourists in the Sudurpaschim Province.