Flashback: Grassland 7 decades ago, now International Airport

POKHARA: Pokhreli is one of those lucky ones who boarded the aircraft before seeing the car. Pokhreli is one of the fortunate few who boarded the plane before seeing the car. Even before the Siddhartha highway reached Pokhara, planes used to take off and land on Pokhara’s open ground.

‘A jeep was taken from the aircraft in Pokhara and driven on the internal route,’ says sociologist Bishwa Sigdel. ‘The development we’ve seen is an ox-drawn cart. It used to transport stones.

The airport was constructed. ‘Goods were delivered from the airport to traders,’ he explained, adding that he had never seen road transport vehicles. The first sighting was of an airplane.’

The aircraft landed in Pokhara for the first time in 2008 BS Ashoj. The Dakota plane landed on an open grassland, carrying passengers such as then-Home Minister BP Koirala and Industries Minister Ganeshman.

The crowd of Pokhareli onlookers rushed when the aircraft arrived. Initially, the Dakota aircraft was flown in Pokhara by Himalayan Aviation, an Indian company.

Dakota has already aided in the connection of Pokhara and Kathmandu, as well as Bhairahawa. Pokhareli traders’ main trading center was Bhairahawa.

The airport was built permanently only in 2015. The runway was then extended in 2028 BS. In 2054 BS, the tower and terminal building were completed.

The large airport that existed at the time has now been replaced by a small airport in Pokhara. Mustang Airport is larger than Chauthe Airport. The flight and landing of jet aircraft is now possible at Pokhara Airport, beginning with the Dakota aircraft.

The international airport in Pokhara has been completed after 47 years of land acquisition. In the midst of a grand program, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda also inaugurated the airport. While working on the Pokhara master plan in 2031 BS, Shankarraj Pathak, the prefect of Gandaki, envisioned an international airport in Pokhara.

He persuaded the king to give him 3,206 ropanis of land. After acquiring additional land, then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli laid the groundwork for the airport’s construction in 2073 BS.

Pokhara industrialists and businessmen formed a struggle committee and launched the movement in 2068. The Pokhara Industry and Commerce Association was in charge.

Pokhara, which used to have an aircraft with no infrastructure and had to walk for 5 days to get to Kathmandu, now has a large airport of international standards. Pokhara Airport was built on an area of 4,000 ropani for an estimated 22 billion.

Exim Bank of China has provided loans at a 2% interest rate for the airport’s construction. In addition, Airbus 320 standard aircraft now fly and land directly from Pokhara to various countries around the world.

-Prakash Dhakal