By Tara Chapagain, Pokhara, May 28: Construction work of the Pokhara Regional International Airport will be delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic restriction orders.

As per the agreement, the contractor of the project, Chinese company CAMC, should complete the project and hand it over to the government by July 10, 2021. However, while the date of completion is nearing, Project Chief Binesh Munkarmi said that the pandemic and multiple restrictions and lockdown had impacted the work resulting in the time overrun of the project.

“We couldn’t import the equipment needed at the project and bring in the skilled human resources due to the lockdown and restriction on international flight operation. Physical progress at the site is 77 per cent,” he said.

According to him, the project would not be completed before the end of 2021. About 700 workers, including Chinese nationals, were working on the project before the pandemic but currently, there are only 435 workers of which 185 are Chinese.

Munkarmi said that the national pride project is likely to be delayed by at least six months of the deadline set earlier. He said that work of runway, decoration of the domestic and international terminal building, runway terminal, taxiway, drain, high mast floodlights, and transformer box is completed.

Currently, leveling the ground, runway, and lightning works are undergoing. Likewise, lift and footpath are also being constructed. Road construction is completed.

The Forest area at the Ritthepani Danda, east of the runway, is yet to be cleared due to the lack of supplementary Environment Impact Assessment (EIA).

About 40 meters of the hill at Ritthepani should be cut down in order to create safer landing and take-off at the airport. Many trees should be chopped down but the delay in the EIA has affected the work.

A Cabinet meeting about three months ago had allowed the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the aviation sector regulator, to cut down the hill and trees. According to Munkarmi, it would take about six months to cut the hill.

Likewise, the airport is in a flood area which must be addressed immediately. “Drainage of various areas has flowed to the airport area. It must be stopped at the earliest. We have been raising the issue for the last two years with the District Administration Office, Irrigation Office, Department of Roads, and Pokhara Metropolitan City. But the issue is yet to be resolved,” he said.

Similarly, the landfill site near the airport should also be shifted. The landfill site should be at least 13 kilometers far from the airport but the current location is just 2 km away.

The delay in shifting the landfill will delay the operation of the airport. Another challenge is to develop a fuel center inside the airport. Nepal Oil Corporation should construct the center but there has been no preparation yet