Following the beginning of construction of Pokhara Regional Airport on Wednesday, construction of three international airports is under way including the expansion of current Tribhuwan International Airport.

As TIA expansion has already delayed in four years due to disputes with contractors and slow pace of Gautam Buddha International Airport, no body certain how this regional airport will move ahad.

As there is concern about the timely completion of the projects given the present state, the Chinese contractor has assured Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jitendra Narayan Das that Pokhara Regional International Airport would be completed in stipulated time.

 Minister Das said his Ministry is ready to co-operate with the project and hoped that the much awaited National Pride Project would be completed on time.

Das also said he would expedite the on-going construction of the Simara and Gautam Buddha Regional International Airports.

Gerry Yang, Nepal representatives of the China CAMC Engineering Co Ltd, Asia-Pacific Division No 1 Engineering Department Chief, said the project would be completed by July 10, 2021.

 “We do not have any problems from the locals, more than 100 technicians and other have been working in the site,” Yang added.

One of Nepal’s National Pride Project is being constructed in 3627 ropanis of land at Chinne danda in Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan City with soft loan of $215.96 million from China Exim Bank.

The project designed to be built under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) model was contracted to the China CAMC Engineering by Nepal Government on October 27, 2014.

The airport will have 2500 metres of runway as per the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) norms set for 4D airports.

Meanwhile, local lawmakers Sita Giri and Sharada Paudel have urged the government to provide satisfactory compensation to the victims.

CPN-UML Chairman and then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had laid the foundation stone of the project in presence of other opposition party leaders on April 13, 2016.