Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle has stated that the government has placed the full operation of Bhairahawa and Pokhara international airports on high priority.
Speaking at a budget-related interaction organized by the Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Minister Wagle shared that diplomatic efforts are actively underway with neighboring India and China to bring both strategic airports into full-scale operation.
He highlighted that crucial matters, including airport operations, air route expansion, connectivity, and management, were raised as primary agendas during Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal’s recent official visits to India and China.
Addressing concerns over the perceived delay, the Finance Minister highlighted the heavy financial burden these projects place on the state. "We are persistently working to bring Bhairahawa airport into full operation. It’s not that we don't care. We are the ones clearing the loans for Pokhara and Bhairahawa airports; I am the one who signs off on the files for those installment payments almost every single day. Therefore, we are fully committed to making both airports operational as swiftly as possible," Wagle said.
Minister Wagle further noted that the government was addressing the matters that were previously overlooked. "Our party president has visited, the Foreign Minister has visited, and I will likely travel there myself in the near future. We are raising issues with the relevant authorities on matters that others previously didn't even dare to touch," he added.
He concluded by claiming that the current administration is actively negotiating and taking initiatives on long-standing, unresolved bilateral issues that past governments failed to even bring to the table.
.
