By Our Correspondent
Bhairahawa, Nov. 10: Business community in Rupandehi district has demanded that the government should bring the Gautam Buddha International Airport into operation as soon as possible.
Arun Kumar Goanka, acting chief of Siddharthanagar Association of Industry and Commerce, and others visited the airport on Monday and demanded for its full fledge services to the people immediately.
They also handed over an attention letter to engineer Prabesh Adhikari of the airport project and said that the government should complete the remaining construction works, install required technologies and operate the airport immediately.
In an interaction with the authorities inside the airport, Association chair Goanka stated that the private sector was badly affected with the incomplete airport. “Tourism and economic activities are almost stopped here because of the delay in completing the project,” he said.
According to him, the World Health Organisation (WHO) had said that the impact of COVID-19 will remain for next two years and the construction of the airport should not be delayed citing the pandemic.
“We, the people of private business community, are hopeful for positive changes in our businesses and tourism sector with the completion of the airport,” Goanka added.
He also said that the business community was managing high interest rates, house rents, wages and taxes for the possible opportunity they could get in future.
Netra Prasad Acharya, General Secretary in Siddharthanagar Association of Industry and Commerce, said that they tolerated the six-month lockdown and prohibition order in the country and lost a lot. “The government should install required technologies, instruments in the airport and operate it immediately,” he added.
Acharya also said that private sector cooperated with the government on the battle against the COVID-19, and it was government’s duty to complete the project in time to accelerate the economy affected by COVID-19.