KATHMANDU: The Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu will be closed for 10 hours each day for the next five months, starting today.
The closure is part of a major upgrade project, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN).
The Air Transport Capacity Enhancement Project includes the widening of the southwest taxiway, as well as expansions of the international apron (to the north) and the hangar apron (to the east). The total estimated cost of the upgrades is Rs 15 billion.
During the closure, which will be from 10:00 pm to 8:00 am, no flights will operate. This will affect the airport’s usual operating hours, which are from 6:00 am to 2:00 am.
Project Chief Dipendra Shrestha explained that the taxiway will be expanded to run parallel to the runway, and the closure is necessary for safety reasons.
Currently, Nepal has three international airports: Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Gautam Buddha International Airport in Lumbini, and Pokhara International Airport. TIA, in operation for nearly 74 years, is the oldest of the three.
Previous upgrades to TIA included the expansion of the runway to 3,300 meters in 2077 BS, which required a 12-hour daily closure.
In 2075 BS, the runway was resurfaced with blacktop, necessitating a 10-hour daily flight suspension for about four months.
During those closures, approximately 30% of both domestic and international flights were affected.
TIA currently handles over 200 domestic flights and around 100 international flights daily.
The ongoing upgrades aim to further enhance the airport’s capacity and safety standards.
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