Spread the love

Kathmandu, August 11: The stakeholders have demanded a direct flight from Nepalgunj in Nepal to Delhi in India.
A team of representatives of Lumbini Province, political party leaders, businessmen, journalists, Nepalgunj Industry and Commerce Association has arrived in Kathmandu demanding a direct flight to Delhi from Nepalgunj. Organizing an all-party discussion on the Nepalgunj-Delhi direct flight at the meeting of the Federation of Nepalese Industries and Commerce on Sunday, the stakeholders emphasized on the direct flight from Nepalgunj to Delhi.
They say that a direct flight from Nepalgunj to Delhi in India will expand the tourism and business in the region. Stakeholders there have emphasized the need to increase the ‘connectivity’ of western Nepal with India through air flights for the benefit of both countries. Stating that 25 out of 31 districts of Lumbini, Karnali and Sudur Paschim Pradesh will directly benefit from the direct flight to Delhi, Indian capital city, they suggested that a concrete decision should be taken on the Nepalgunj-Delhi direct air service issue during the upcoming visit of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to India.
Chandra Prasad Dhakal, President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said that economic activity would increase by expanding trade and business only if the ‘connectivity’ could be expanded. He said there is a need to expand connectivity in Nepalgunj as there is a lot of potential in energy, tourism and the region. President Dhakal expressed his commitment to take the initiative to discuss the agenda of the PM’s upcoming visit to India for the Nepalgunj-Delhi flight. He says that direct flights are needed to go to the Wading Destination and Kailash Mansarovar so that if connectivity can be increased in that area, more tourism can be added.
Bhawani Rana, former president of the FNCCI, said air connectivity should be emphasized for the economic development of Nepalgunj as it is the old business hub of western Nepal.

She said, “The holy pilgrimage to Kailash Mansarovar is a way to travel.” Nepalgunj-Delhi direct air flight is necessary to increase the tourist activity and commercial center as Raratal, Sefoksundo Bardiya National Park. “
She said that since there is a board of India near Nepalgunj, there is also a need for a dry port there to cover the area of western Nepal.
Rana said that connectivity is necessary to highlight western Nepal as it has major potential in tourism, energy, agriculture and herbalism. Nepalgunj has a situation where tourists are reaching the area via Kathmandu Airport for trucking in Kailash Mansarovar and Dolpa, Rukum Rolpa and Rara areas without flights from neighboring countries. Former president Rana said that it would be easy to expand the products and services of the region to the international market if they could fly directly to the neighboring country. She believes that Nepal’s tourism sector will gain momentum if Nepalgunj-Delhi direct flights can be made for Indian religious tourists visiting Kailash Mansarovar in China.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has said that new physical infrastructure, including a terminal building of international standards, has been constructed at Nepalgunj Airport.
Nepalgunj-Delhi direct flight was discussed by the stakeholders to meet the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, Tourism Minister and leaders of the top political parties for the flight.
Convener of Nepalgunj-Delhi flight pressure group and president of Nepalgunj Industry and Commerce Association, Tank Dhami, also said that they would continue to press for Nepalgunj-Delhi flight. He said, “Nepalgunj is not only the main city of Lumbini Province, but from the tourist point of view, Nepalgunj-Delhi flight is necessary as the entrance to Lumbini, Karnali and Far-Western Province has been improved.”
Nepal Tourism Board chief Dipak Raj Joshi said that the movement of tourists can be increased if Karnali is able to fly directly to the far-west. He said, “If Nepalgunj-Delhi can fly directly, it will be able to attract adventurous to religious tourists.”
According to the stakeholders, with the direct flight, the citizens of West Nepal will be able to go to Delhi easily and Indian tourists from Delhi will be able to travel to West Nepal including Nepalgunj.
“Nepalgunj city is the gateway of Nepal, the historical city named after the country is directly connected to the capital of friendly India by air, which will benefit both countries from the point of view of trade and tourism.
Regarding the Nepalgunj-Delhi direct flight, former Prime Ministers Sher Bahadur Deuba, Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and Prime Minister Oli have repeatedly discussed with the Indian side, but no concrete decision has been taken.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Nepal has demanded air routes to and from Nepalgunj, but no concrete decision has been taken yet.

People’s News Monitoring Service.