Residents of Janakpur are elated with the decision to develop Janakpur Airport as an International Airport. A meeting of the ministers and lawmakers hailing from the region held at Janakpur Airport on Sunday made a plan to this effect.
A large number of youths from the region fly to Gulf countries for employment.
Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Sharat Singh Bhandari said the plan was made as part of the first phase to develop Janakpur as a town with religious and tourism significance. He said Janakpur can be developed as a tourist hotspot. Bhandari hails from Mahottari district.
CPN (Maoist) lawmaker Matrika Yadav, Nepali Congress General Secretary Bimalendra Nidhi, State Minister for Physical Planning and Works Saroj Yadav, among others, were present in the meeting. They reached Janakpur Airport at 11 am and flew back to Kathmandu at 3 pm.
Janakpur Airport has been operating flights to and from Kathmandu for the last 49 years.
Bhandari said the government plans to extend the airport´s existing 1300-meter runway to 1,600 meters. Stating that the the government has already initiated the process to acquire necessary land for the purpose, he said, “We are in the process to award contract for constructing terminal building.”
Bhandari informed that they also plan to operate direct flights between Janakpur and Muktinath in Mustang district.
Related story
DPR of Jumla Airport in limbo, crew flying taking risks
