For and against Nijgad airport

How ironic, when we destroy something created by man we term it as ‘vandalism’ but when we destroy something created by nature we call it ‘progress’ (‘15 points for and against Nijgad’, #990).

Ajay Limbu

The government is set to revise the ratio of compensatory tree plantation from 25:1 to 10:1 for ‘National Pride Projects’. So, the government will be required to plant fewer trees now.

Bibek Shrestha

I hope the Nepal Government goes ahead with this project. Even our counterparts in South  and the Southeast Asia have moved ahead and we are still debating on building an airport or not. Just build the damn thing.

Bali Hang Sambahangphe

Does Nepal even need Nijgad after completion of Lumbini and Pokhara international airports?

Chiran Basnet

Pokhara and Bhairahawa airports are built with regional standards for regional purposes. The Nijgad will be our first truly ‘international airport’. TIA is not even a regional standard airport as per modern requirements.

Bibek Limbu

Nijgad airport to become an international hub is most likely the biggest propaganda ever created to justify the irreversible destruction of nature that will affect the entire region.

Sanjaya Singh KC

A somewhat madcap project that smacks of extreme hubris.

Marcus Cotton

Nijgad is a profoundly bad idea. Now that Pokhara and Bhairawa are nearly operational, Nepal needs to sort out the air traffic situation before taking any more steps.

Joe Niemczura

People think that trees never grow once gone, and they would be right if new saplings are not planted. International airport I would say is a must but with minimal damage of the environment.

Deepak Rijal

The balance of social, economic and environment is essential for sustainable development. Therefore, it should be built minimising the environmental loss.

Anjalee Thakali

The human destruction of nature has crossed the tipping point. So many species are going extinct due to unwarranted development blinded by greed. The next generation will have a huge task undoing our folly. Could we not have smaller international airports at alternative sites?

Prabir Rana

Good news. Congratulations. Please avoid all the mistakes of Kathmandu airport at all cost (‘Pokhara: Nepal’s new aviation getaway’, Kunda Dixit, #990).

Ramesh Shrestha

This is surely going to be the world’s most beautiful international airport.

Sue Chamberlain

It’s absolutely great that some planes/tourists can bypass the air traffic congestion of Kathmandu airport and go directly to Pokhara. Still, bigger planes can’t land in Pokhara (and Bhairawa) and Kathmandu will continue to be the gateway for most tourists flying in to Nepal, and congestion will be worse. Nijgad airport needs to be built.

Avani Mani Dixit

A crazy daft idea driven by greed for earnings and with no thought for the pristine environment of the Pokhara and surrounding valleys. Relax by the Fewa or Begnas lakes? Not anymore with jet aircraft blasting overhead.

Marc McConnell

If Kathmandu Airport is operated 24 hours and the management is working effectively there is plenty of space for many more flights landing and departing.

Stephan Kocher

Nepal needs an international airport close to Kathmandu and Nijgad is the most suited. However, the  environmental impact is also real. If the airport is built, a forest three times larger must be created  elsewhere. This way we have airport with net gain of the forest. As we rely more and more on international air travel, which is rapidly growing, it’s imperative that we are ready for the future. Kathmandu airport doesn’t even meet today’s domestic airport adequate standard when comparing with other countries. There has to be an international airport somewhere in Nepal, which can act like Hub.

Roger Adhikari

Yes environment is a big thing to consider here but Nepal doesn’t need a big airport as Nijgad. Kathmandu, Pokhara and Bhairawa should be expanded. The hub model has been replaced by point-to-point aviation, so Nijgad is obsolete.  The Air Asia X long haul low-cost carrier model is a perfect example of which way aviation is going in Asia.

Aashik Pokhrel