Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) is going to be shut down for landing and take-off of all flights from 11:30 pm to 6:30 am, from September 1 to December 31, for the duration of four months.

General Manager of TIA, Raj Kumar Chhetri said that it is necessary to complete taxiway rehabilitation, taxiway-runway link road rehabilitation, and installation of runway centerline light. He said that the second phase of work will complete in stipulated date.

However, the closure will not affect the Kathmandu-Osaka direct flight of Nepal Airlines which began on August 29. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays — when the NA flight to Japan will be operated — the runway will open for half an hour from 2:00 am to 2:30 am to allow the flight to take off, explained Chettri.

During the first stage of rehabilitation, TIA had been shut down for 10 hours a day from April 1, 2019, for a period of three months.

China National Aero Technology International Engineering Corporation was awarded the contract for runway and taxiway rehabilitation work. It signed an agreement with the Chinese company on November 5, 2018. The Chinese firm agreed to complete the work for Rs 3.75 billion. The construction company has already a stock of necessary materials to renovate the taxiway.

In the first phase, the Chinese company blacktopped 3000m runway. The company has completed the work in 60 days. But it will take around 18 months to rehabilitate the taxiway.

TIA handles around 400 flights, including 100 international flights, per day. The international airport’s runway was built in 1975. Runways of international airports, as per the international standard, should be refurbished with the use of new bitumen every 10 years.