KATHMANDU: A report was made public shortly after news of corruption at Pokhara International Airport surfaced in the media.
A report prepared by a subcommittee under the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Federal Parliament has highlighted financial and technical corruption at the airport.
The report alleges corruption occurred during the feasibility study, contract process, and construction work, while also raising concerns about the safety of air flights. It concludes that the airport is not safe.
The report, titled Pokhara Regional International Airport On-Site Study and Monitoring Report, 2081, lacks the signatures of all 10 committee members.
MPs Rajendra Lingden, Arjun Narsingh KC, Amanlal Modi, Janardan Sharma, and Prem Bahadur Ale have signed it, while the remaining five members—Gokul Baskota, Tara Lama Tamang, Deepak Giri, Dev Prasad Timalsena, and Ram Krishna Yadav—did not.
Can it be called technical corruption?
Airports are considered globally sensitive and essential service areas. A deliberate technical glitch during the construction of the airport could pose serious risks during takeoff and landing.
The informal report asserts that Pokhara International Airport has not met technical requirements. Two main issues were raised:
The soil test report for the runway was completed without sufficient time.
The runway was constructed deeper than the natural height of the ground.
These two concerns raise doubts about the safety of Pokhara Airport, a significant issue.
The report’s first point states that “the soil test report for the airport’s runway was completed without sufficient time,” which questions the quality of the runway, considered the most critical element of an airport.
The report does not provide any data on the soil test and appears to suggest, without scientific evidence, that the runway is unsafe.
The second issue pertains to the runway’s height, which is directly related to flight safety.
According to real-time data from an American topographic map, the western boundary of the proposed runway at Pokhara Airport is at 2,677 feet, while the concrete area on the side of Runway 12 was designed at 2,635.76 feet, 20 feet lower than the natural height. This discrepancy has raised concerns about the runway’s safety.
However, the report does not explain the scientific criteria for determining runway height, leaving the issue unclear.
Doubts about the safety of the Airport
The report’s second point casts further doubt on the safety of the airport. Although Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ inaugurated the airport on January 1, 2023, not many commercial flights have operated there.
However, there has been a significant increase in both domestic and international flights since the inauguration.
No aviation authorities have officially questioned the runway’s location at Pokhara Airport.
What does CAAN say about the technical issues in the report?
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAN) asserts that Pokhara International Airport meets international standards. The airport has been certified by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Additionally, in 2022, the airport received a flight inspection report from the Aircraft Operation Department Flight Inspection Service Bureau Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Limited.
CAN officials have stated that they are in a position to study and test the physical aspects of the airport at any time.
What do the officials of PAC say?
Public Accounts Committee Chairman Hrishikesh Pokharel has stated that he is unaware of the authenticity of the Pokhara Airport study report.
In response to Khabarhub, he said a subcommittee was formed to study the airport, but the committee has not yet received the official report.
Chairman Pokharel mentioned that he learned about the issue through the media and could not comment on it at this time.
Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chairman Rajendra Lingden, the coordinator of the study subcommittee, responded that the report released was not complete.
He explained that, as many members participated in the study and the report was distributed to everyone, it may have been leaked from an unofficial source. Lingden said he would respond once the full report is received.
“The report is still under study. Let’s not comment until the full report is available,” said Chairman Lingden. “Since the report was distributed to many members during the study, it may have leaked from somewhere.”
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