State-of-the-art 'Terminal' building at Nepalgunj Airport

Nepalgunj, Nov 7: A state-of-the-art terminal building has been constructed at Nepalgunj Airport in western Nepal. The building, completed ahead of the scheduled time, will be handed over to the Nepalgunj Airport Terminal Building Project in a few days.

Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), Pradeep Adhikari, inspected the completed terminal building at Nepalgunj Airport today and informed that work is underway to make the terminal operational as soon as possible.

He mentioned that the construction of a high-standard building has been carried out at Nepalgunj Airport as compared to Pokhara, Bhairahawa, and Tribhuvan International Airport, and expressed confidence that this will also contribute to employment growth.

Highlighting that Nepalgunj Airport, considered the largest airport after Kathmandu, aims to operate flights to major cities in India such as Delhi and Lucknow, Director General Adhikari stated that discussions between Nepal and India regarding operation of flights are ongoing.

“It will also be convenient to operate international flights from Nepalgunj Airport,” he said. He noted that tourists from wealthy countries visiting Nepal should not feel that they have come to a poor country when they see the airport, which could affect the sustainability of international aviation trade.

He further explained that a state-of-the-art terminal building has been constructed in accordance with the demands of the time.

Nal Bikram Thapa, the Project Manager of Nepalgunj Airport Terminal Building, stated that the construction company completed the work about one and a half months before the deadline. According to him, the total cost of the terminal building is Rs 2.98 billion.

He said, “The work is satisfactory, all work is of high quality, and it has been completed under the direct supervision of our engineers.”

Ramesh Sharma, Chairman and Managing Director of Sharma & Company, mentioned that the construction of the airport terminal building was finished about two months ago and that it was done in a way that the building meets the requirements of international flights. He added that there is a common notion in Nepal that construction companies cannot complete work on time, which has been proven otherwise.

The building, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and facilities, is reported to be able to serve 1,600 passengers per hour during 'peak hours'. The construction company, which started work in Poush 2079 BS, had accelerated the work to complete it in three years, that is, by the upcoming Poush. The terminal building has three floors, including a semi-basement.

The basement has been constructed for commercial purposes. Covering an area of 5,075 square metres, the terminal building includes 14 passenger check-in counters, three VIP lounges, one children's play area, and separate rooms for customs and quarantine checks. Within the new terminal building, along with a garden, a road five to 14 meters wide has also been constructed. Proper drainage has been arranged around the terminal building's periphery for sewage and excess water disposal.