Monitoring Desk
KATHMANDU: Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda on Sunday inaugurated a regional international airport built with Chinese help in the tourist hub of Pokhara.
Bishnu Paudel, Deputy Prime Minister and other top officials were also present in the inauguration ceremony. The international flights will start after the second week of next month.
A flagship project of Nepal-China Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), PRIA was constructed with Chinese loan assistance, Press Trust of India reported. Nepal had signed a $215.96 million soft loan agreement with China in March 2016 to build a new airport in lake city.
In his address during the inauguration ceremony, Prime Minister Prachanda said that aerial connectivity is the most effective mean to connect with the world for a landlocked country like Nepal.
Nepal’s third international airport
He said that the newly-built airport, Nepal’s third international airport, has started operations from today. It has established Pokhara’s relationship with the international region.
He also requested the Chinese government to assist in the opening of border crossings with China and help in the building of railway services and other projects.
On the occasion, Wang Xin, Chinese Embassy Charge de Affaires, said that the airport is built and designed as per Chinese standards, which reflects the high standard of Chinese engineering and symbolizes Nepal’s national honor.
Nepal, China leadership values airport
He said that the new airport has been highly valued by the leaders of Nepal and China. It will become a powerful witness of working jointly to achieve common prosperity and development.
