UDAYAPUR: The Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati, has assured that the construction of the proposed Sagarmatha Airport in Jogidaha, Udayapur, will be expedited.

After inspecting the proposed site today, Minister Kirati stated that there have been repeated calls for the construction of the airport and emphasized that the Ministry will initiate the process promptly.

He revealed, “A total of Rs 50 million has been allocated for the construction of the airport.”

Highlighting the significance of the proposed airport in Jogidaha, Udayapur, for the promotion of tourism in Koshi Province, the Minister expressed that it would play a crucial role in attracting tourists from India to Bhutan to visit the Sagarmatha zone and promote tourism up to Haleshi Mahadev.

Birendra Basnet, Chairperson of the Sagarmatha Airport Runway Construction Consumer Committee, emphasized the immediate need to advance the construction process of the airport. “The current government should fulfill the 60-year-old dreams of residents of Udayapur and the Sagarmatha zone.”

He envisioned that once the airport becomes operational, it would facilitate rafting from Dolalghat in Sunkoshi to Sunkoshi in Chatara and enhance travel to mountainous areas and Haleshi through the airport.

Raj Kumar Rai, a Committee member and CPN-UML leader, suggested that the airport’s operation would attract tourists from Saptari, Siraha, Udaypur, Khotang, Okhaldhunga, Bhojpur, as well as from India and Bhutan to the Sagarmatha zone.

Adding to this, Rudra Adhikari, another committee member, affirmed that approval has been granted for the airport’s construction.

He disclosed that over Rs 20 million has been spent on the groundwork, and the Ministry of Forest and Environment has granted the right to use the land.

As per his information, 156.11 hectares of land have been secured for the airport construction, featuring a 1,400-meter-long and 40-meter-wide runway.