August 23: Myanmar has agreed for further discussions to operate international flights along the proposed Himalaya-2 Air Route in the Nepali airspace.

The operation of the Himalaya 2 Air Route has remained uncertain due to some technical problems in Myanmar. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) had proposed this route in 2001 in an attempt to ease the air traffic congestion in the Bay of Bengal.

India and China have already agreed to the concept which will cut short the distance of international flights.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal informed that the representatives from the Aviation Authority of Myanmar have agreed to hold meetings in this issue in the sidelines of the 56th Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation Asia and Pacific Regions (DGCA).

Dipak Baral, director of CAAN, confirmed that their counterparts from Myanmar have agreed to sit for talks after holding internal discussions with the technical team of Myanmar.

The operation of aircraft in the Himalaya-2 Air Route has remained uncertain due to the absence of communication and surveillance equipment in Myanmar.  

Technically known as ‘L-626’ air route, it connects the Nepali airspace with the air space of West Bengal, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh of India as well as the Chinese and Japanese airspaces via Myanmar. 

This route starts from New Delhi and runs across Mahendranagar, Kathmandu, Mechi, Bagdogra, Guwahati, Imphal, Kunming of China and Hong Kong.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the proposed Himalaya-2 Air Route is 114 nautical miles shorter than the air route above the Bay of Bengal.

The operation of the new air route will help aircraft save 1660 tons of fuel annually and also reduces 5220 tons of carbon emission.  

If this route comes into operation, international flights will take place along the Nepali airspace. Nepal can collect communication and navigation charges if this concept materializes.