Mountains. Locals are disappointed as Balewa Airport located near Parbat district headquarters, Kushma Bazaar, has not come into operation even though it has been closed for 36 years.

The airport which was constructed in 2022 BS was operational till 2048 BS but has been closed since then. The locals who were hoping for regular flights after the construction of the physical infrastructure at the airport have complained that no agency has taken initiatives for the regular flights and operation.

The airport was closed due to lack of passengers after the expansion of Pokhara-Baglung road. Baglung Municipality had tried to operate the project in 27 years after it was closed. It was reopened on March 22, 2017 but could not operate regularly for six months due to lack of passengers. The planes of Nepal Airlines and Tara Airlines used to fly on dusty runways in winter and muddy in the rainy season for a few months.

The runway, parking lot and terminal building have been renovated at a cost of more than Rs 80 million. The airport is twenty-four meters wide, fenced and renovated and is waiting for an aircraft, said Sabita Sharma, office assistant at the airport. According to him, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) had blacktopped the airport and repaired other old infrastructures only four years ago by spending Rs 80 million.

Ram Sharma said that the investment made in the airport is like water in the sand when the aircraft does not come. He has been regularly supervised by an office assistant at the airport. “Aircraft with 18 to 24 seater can be operated here,” he said.

Locals said regular air service would benefit people of Baglung district as well as Parbat and Myagdi. Baglung Municipality had come into operation for a few months after the municipality made an agreement to operate flights twice a week to operate the airport and bear the fare for lack of passengers. The operation of the airport has come to a standstill after the runway of the airport was concreted.

Chakra Bahadur Khatri, spokesperson of Narayansthan municipality and ward chairman of Baglung-14, said that there has not been a test flight at the airport so far. He said that the locals of Balewa are optimistic about the arrival of more aircraft, adding that despite repeated efforts to operate the aircraft, it has not been materialized.

Stating that the Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister of every government has been visiting the airport, Khatri said that no concrete initiative was taken by anyone. “The Kaligandaki Corridor, a project of national pride, is in the phase of blacktopping and the airport can come into operation if there is an environment conducive for the passengers to come to the airport smoothly after the blacktopping,” he said. The municipality has been making efforts to convert the airport into a pilot training centre and operate ultra-light flights,” he said.

Former manager of the airport, Surya Bahadur Khatri, said that the private sector airlines were reluctant to operate flights unless there is guarantee of passengers.

Mayor Basanta Kumar Shrestha acknowledged that although there was potential for tourism promotion due to airport situated in the middle of Kaligandaki corridor, it has not been resumed in regular operation. Stating that the operation of the airport was not possible only through the initiative of the municipality, he stressed the need of cooperation and coordination of federal, state and local governments.

Kamal GC, a local, said that there would be no problem for commuters after the completion of the Kaligandaki corridor and the construction of mechanical bridge, bungee bridge and suspension bridge. He said that we will have to wait for some more time.