Nijgadh Suitability for International Airport: Expert Report
Simara: The expert group formed by the government for the construction of an international airport has submitted a study report with the conclusion that Nijgadh is the most suitable location.
According to the order of the Supreme Court, the expert group formed by the government on 26th July submitted a report to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Sunday with the reasons why Nijgadh is suitable for the construction of the airport.
According to the report, a suitable location for a full capacity international airport is an area of about 4,000 hectares within an area of about 9,000 hectares between Pasaha River and Bakaiya River, which is connected to the Kathmandu-Terai (Madhes) Expressway and the East-West Highway. The expert group has suggested that the airport city concept should be abandoned to reduce tree cutting and environmental damage.
In the report, an airport protection area of about 9,000 hectares will be declared and the airport will be constructed in different stages, only about 4,000 hectares of area will be used for the construction of the airport, and river erosion prevention and other necessary protection works including the protection of trees in the rest of the area should be managed. In the first phase, about 1,500 It has been mentioned that trees should be cut only in hectare area and trees should not be cut until the second phase starts in the rest of the area.
The report states that in order to prepare an environmental management plan so that there is no adverse impact on the environment, the legal methods and procedures as well as the necessary approvals must be obtained for the construction of the airport.
