India has put forward a condition that it should be given the responsibility for ground handling of Nepal's international airports if it is to provide air routes to Bhairahawa and Pokhara International Airports.
While Nepal is trying to finalize the air route during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda's upcoming visit to India, the Indian side has informally put forward such a condition.
At present, the international entry point in Nepal is allowed only through Simara. The Nepal government has been asking India to provide more air routes from Bhairahawa and Mahendranagar. Even though it has been discussed in various prime minister-level meetings, India is still not ready to give the air route.
Rajendra Kumar KC, joint secretary at the Ministry of Civil Aviation, informed that the Nepali team discussed two issues in India.
This is also being discussed during Prime Minister Dahal's visit to India.
A team including Buddhi Sagar Lamichhane, Head of Aviation Division under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, has visited India to discuss this matter with India. Lamichhane's team included Pradeep Adhikari, Director General, Civil Aviation Authority. The Nepali team returned on Friday after discussions with the Indian officials.
According to an official at the Ministry of Tourism, although discussions were held with the Indian side on Wednesday and Thursday, the Indian side has not committed to providing the air route.
"Cross-border connectivity and air routes have been discussed with the Indian side," KC, who is also the spokesperson of the ministry, said, "no tangible outcome has come out yet." There might be a bilateral agreement after the dialogue between the two Prime Ministers.
An official who returned from discussions with aviation officials in India informed that there was no tangible outcome.
"Despite the discussions with the Indian officials, no conclusion has been reached," said the official. We are at the discussion stage.
Interest in ground handling of Tribhuvan and Bhairahawa International Airports
Even though Gautam Buddha Airport in Bhairahawa was inaugurated on May 16, 2022, but regular international flights do not take place. Even though Jazeera Airways is conducting flights flying, it is stopped time and again due to various reasons. Himalaya Airlines operates occasional chartered flights. Now Nepal Airlines has prepared a direct flight from Malaysia to Bhairahawa.
Likewise, Pokhara Airport, which was put into operation on the occasion of the New Year of 2023, has not been able to conduct international flights. Buddha Air, which is flying to Banaras in India, requested permission to fly from Pokhara, but India has not given permission to it, yet.
India is not happy with the contract of Bhairahawa Airport awarded to a Chinese company, while Pokhara Airport is not accepting to facilitate flights as it was built with the assistance of Chinese loans. India has not even allowed the operation of landing gear in Bhairahawa during bad weather.
Gautam Buddha Airport in Bhairawa was built by Chinese construction company Northwest Civil Aviation Construction Group. About 11 billion reupees has been spent on the project, which was built with a concessional loan from the Asian Development Bank.
Now India has put forward ground handling conditions for air routes. However, Tourism Minister Sudan Kirati said that India has not formally sent that condition either. He says that India does not want to talk much about providing air routes.
"It seems to be dissatisfied that a Chinese company has built an airport near its border," Minister Kirati told Nepalkhabar, "They may be interested in ground handling as a bargaining card to allow air routes."
Officials at the ministry say that India informally forwarded this condition through some Indian businessmen. If the ground handling of Tribhuvan International Airport and Bhairahawa Airport were given to India, it would facilitate the air route, the message sent to the Ministry through the businessmen said.
However, Minister Kirati claimed that there was no formal discussion on giving the ground handling of the international airport to a foreign company even though there was a trend.
The ground handling of the international airport in Nepal is being done by Nepal Airlines Corporation. The Corporation has been earning income from ground handling in Tribhuvan and Bhairahawa.
Officials of the Corporation say that if the ground handling of Tribhuvan Airport is given to others, the national flag bearer Nepal Airlines will go bankrupt.
GMR wants airport ground handling
India's GMR Group has sent an informal message to the government through the aviation authority that it wants to handle the ground handling of Tribhuvan Airport and Gautam Buddha International Airport.
Internationally known for airports, electricity, transport, and urban infrastructure, this company has a bad image in Nepal. GMR holds the license for Upper Karnali. GMR signed a project development agreement with the Board of Investment for 2 years in 2071 BS. Since then, the deadline has been continuously extended.
The company is carrying out the ground handling of Indira Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad International Airport and Goa's Manohar Parrikar International Airport.
GMR is building a Greenfield Airport at Bhogapuram in Andhra Pradesh. Apart from building and operating airports, the company is also operating airports outside India. GMR is also handling the ground handling of the Mactan Chebu International Airport together with Megawide Construction Corporation of the Philippines.
.
