KATHMANDU: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIB) has filed a corruption case against seven individuals, including Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Director General Pradip Adhikari, over the construction of the Nalinchok Heliport in Bhaktapur.
The Commission claims that key officials bypassed legal procedures, misled the Board, and advanced the project in bad faith.
Here’s how the alleged corruption unfolded:
Initially, Engineer Samriddhi Shrestha recommended that construction proceed only after a feasibility study. However, Director Murari Bhandari submitted the Detailed Project Report (DPR) to then DG Rajkumar Chhetri, seeking approval to move forward. Chhetri approved it conditionally, stating the process should continue only if feasible.
Despite this, Bhandari and Shrestha proceeded with DPR preparation, Terms of Reference (ToR), Request for Proposal (RFP), and cost estimation without completing the proper feasibility evaluation.
On December 8, 2021, Bhandari approved the ToR, RFP, and cost estimates without notifying DG Kshatri, effectively bypassing oversight from the authority’s highest office.
The consultancy firm, Abhiyantra Consulting Pvt. Ltd., was allegedly selected through collusion. Despite lacking prior experience in airport/heliport DPRs, the firm was chosen to prepare designs and cost estimates, which were then presented as the project’s DPR.
Even though the DPR was incomplete, Engineer Nalbikram Thapa provided comments on the heliport, which were submitted to DG Pradeep Adhikari for approval. Later, the CAAN Board allocated Rs 150 millione for construction during its 403rd meeting on Jul 24, 2022, even though the program and budget had not been formally approved.
CIB found that mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and consultations with relevant stakeholders were skipped. Officials allegedly advanced the project in violation of legal and procedural requirements.
Several studies, including reports by pilots and expert committees, highlighted that the heliport was unsafe for commercial flights due to nearby residential areas, schools, lack of fuel storage, insufficient security, and missing infrastructure for safe operations.
The Commission claims that top officials, including the DG and department heads, knowingly bypassed oversight and legal requirements to move the project forward. The case, now filed in the special court, targets seven individuals, including DG Adhikari and former Director Bhandari, as well as contractors and other associated parties.
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