Ssue of excessive air traffic congestion experienced in Tribhuven international Airport (TIA ) since last few years was a matter of great concern. It is felt that some concrete actions must be initiated urgently probable actions may be expansion of TlA infrastructure 24 hours operation of TIA diversify the operational base of domestic operators converting potential domestic airports such as pokhara and Bhairahawa to international airport In course of examining how things are going on it is apparent that TIA is in a continuous process of expansion After the completion of on going runway overlay work TIA may go for 24 hours operation pokhara and Bhairahawa is in the process of transformation to international airport . However diversification of the operational base of domestic operators is not being able to implement effectively in fact all these process are being very slow in comparison to the rate of air traffic growth besides these solutions are of temporary in nature it will not fulfill the ultimate requirement to meet the ever going tourism and civil aviation of the country. Main constraints of TIA is the space limitation. TIA capacity can be significantly enhanced only if the additional runway could be contracted . But because of the space limitation of TIA this is not possible. So the ultimate solution is to develop a second International Airport.
It must be accepted that now TIA is approaching at saturation level. Even though the airport is operated 24 hours few additional flight ca be accommodated. However, as the development and operation of another international airport takes several years. TIA still needs to be optimally utilization till next option, is is a matter of great satisfaction that Nepal Government Airport at Nigadh as their project. As a result given below are few major government initiations so far.
· Land requirement and the boundary demarcation for SIA at Nijgadh has been finalized and submitted to government for approval.
· A Negotiation team has been established to negotiate with the 1316 families who have been identified to have settled in the government land for their resettlement.
· Ministry for Tourism and Civil Aviation has set up a separate until in the Ministry to deal with SIA.
· Government has granted permition to a south Korean company- land mark worldwide to conduct \ Detailed Feasibility study. This includes detail engineering design of the airport.
There are several issues that are still to be addressed to materialize the SIA. Resettlement of that people and the environmental issues are not so easy but still there are several solution and option to settle this problem. Major issues are the fast track and TIA's operational modality after SIA. They are vary closely inter connected. SIA will not be viable unless and until a short and direct accuse road to the airport from the capital is arable. Fast Tract project is under Ministry of Physical Planning where as SIA is under Ministry\y of Tourism and Civil Aviation. So a very good cooperation and coordination between two ministry is essential. If not it may not in fulfill its ultimate target. Second major issues is - once SIA is in operation in what model TIA is to be operated and how to recap the huge environment that has been already incurred in TIA's infrastructure development.
On November 3, 2010, Rt. Honorable prime Minister had an aerial inspection of fast track and SIA site. Hon minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Mr. Shrat singh Bhandari and Secretary, MOTCA, Mr. Kishore Thapa was also present in the inspection. Before departure to the SIA site, Secretary Mr. Kishore Thapa briefed about the present status of SIA to the prime minister. After the complection of the aerial inspection, there was a briefing program in thee Budhune Army Barrack in Makawanpure district around 30 km East of Hetauda. Nepal Army made a briefing about the progress and problems in the fast Track project. In the program, I had an opportunity to make a brief power point presentation on the need of SIA and its prospects.
