Khotang, Aug 19: A test flight was carried out in Lamindanda Airport, the oldest airport in Khotang, on 3 Asar 2076 BS after its blacktopping.
The test flight was inaugurated on the same day after the completion of blacktopping at a total investment Rs 67.7 million by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.
Inaugurating the test flight, Constituent Assembly (CA) member Bishal Bhattarai said discussions were being held with CAAN to operate regular flights at Lamidanda Airport.
However, the aircraft has not taken off or landed even once after the test flight at the airport. The turning pad of the airport that had been regularly operating since 2028 BS in a raw state has been blacktopped 28-28 meters on both the sides.
It was shared that the airport was constructed to serve the devotees and tourists visiting Halesi, the main religious and tourist destination of the district, as well as the folks of Okhaldhunga and Solukhumbu districts.
Local people had initiated the construction of the airport in 2026 BS using local resources that led to its operation two years later in 2028 BS.
But now, locals are facing problems due to the closure of regular flights at the airport. Due to lack of regular flights at the blacktopped airport, locals are compelled to charter helicopters to take the critically ill and injured persons to other places for treatment.
Chief of Rawabesi Rural Municipality, Phatik Kumar Shrestha has blamed the State for doing a great injustice to them by reducing the flights of the airport, which has been providing services to the local residents of the three districts and the devotees and tourists travelling to Halesi, the tri-religious place.
“We have been repeatedly requesting the concerned bodies to operate regular flights”, he said, “No one however has shown any interest in reopening the blacktopped airport”.
Locals commented that employees and equipment of the airport were also shifted to other places after suspension of flights at the airport.
Lawmaker Ram Kumar Rai ‘Pasang’ said efforts were underway to find out the reason behind the reduction in flights at the airport. “It is a matter of regret that flights at Lamidanda Airport have been curtailed. Lamidanda Airport, which has been blacktopped with the investment of the state fund, has been obstructed for the last six years”, he said.
Khotang district has three airports with 10 local level governments. All the three airports constructed with the objective of providing air services to the local residents of all the areas of the district have been blacktopped with the investment of CAAN.
