Pokhara International Airport
Pokhara Regional International Airport (Nepali: पोखरा क्षेत्रीय अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय विमानस्थल) is an under-construction airport in Pokhara, Gandaki Pradesh, Nepal. It is located 3 km (1.9 mi) east of the existing domestic airport, at Majheri Patan. The construction of the airport started in April 2016 and is expected to be completed after five years in 2021 with a cost of around US$305 million. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation awarded the contract to construct and develop the airport to China CAMC Engineering.[1] The airport is expected to handle one million passengers per year.[2]
Pokhara International Airport | |||||||||||
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Summary | |||||||||||
Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
Owner | Government of Nepal | ||||||||||
Operator | Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal | ||||||||||
Serves | Pokhara, Nepal | ||||||||||
Location | Majheri Patan, Pokhara, Gandaki Pradesh | ||||||||||
Coordinates | 28.189690°N 84.014893°E | ||||||||||
Map | |||||||||||
Pokhara International Airport Location within Gandaki Pradesh Pokhara International Airport Pokhara International Airport (Nepal) | |||||||||||
Runways | |||||||||||
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Development
The concept of constructing an international airport in Pokhara was first developed in 1976, when the Government of Nepal acquired land for the purpose.[3] In 1989, the Japan International Cooperation Agency conducted a study regarding the construction of the airport.[4] However, the project was reinitiated only in 2013 and one year later, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal signed an agreement with China CAMC Engineering for the construction of the airport. In April 2016, prime minister KP Sharma Oli laid the foundation stone of the new airport.[1]
Facilities
When the airport comes into operation, it will have a 2,500 m (8,200 ft) runway with a parallel taxiway that can accommodate medium range jets like Airbus A320s and Boeing 737/757s. The airport will have a concrete runway and jet bridges. The parking bays will be able to handle up to five narrow-body aircraft. Two terminals, one domestic and one international, will be able to handle one million passengers annually. The airport will have a 1,200-meter (3,900 ft) long and 23-meter (75 ft) wide taxi-way which connects the runway with hangars, terminals and parking bays. The airport will have a 10,000 m2 (110,000 sq ft) international terminal building and a 4,000 m2 (43,000 sq ft) domestic terminal building.[5]
Aircraft maintenance
Buddha Air is planning to construct a hangar that can accommodate aircraft up to the size of an Airbus A319.[6]
Expected airlines and destinations
Buddha Air is planning to operate its planned international fleet of Boeing or Airbus aircraft out of Pokhara International Airport.[7]
References
- "New Pokhara International Airport". Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- "Pokhara Regional International Airport (PRIA)". www.airport-technology.com. Missing or empty
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(help) - "Economic takeoff". Nepali Times. 3 August 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
- "Finally, a new airport?". Nepali Times. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
- "Pokhara Regional International Airport (PRIA)". Airport Technology. Retrieved 20 April 2018.
- "Buddha Air to build hangar in Pokhara". Aviation Nepal. 15 May 2019. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
- "Nepal's Buddha Air eyes decision on narrowbody jets in 4Q18". CH-Aviation. 6 February 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2018.