January 7: At a time when the physical progress of national pride projects has not been satisfactory, the Pokhara International Airport which is under construction in Pokhara, Kaski, is likely to be completed within the deadline.
Looking at the ongoing work progress, it is likely that the Pokhara International Airport will start its operation before Bhairahawa International Airport.
According to the airport project office, the new international airport in Pokhara has made 68 percent physical progress while the financial progress is about 51 percent. The airport project has informed that the financial progress is below the target, and contractors will receive the payments after completing the specified work.
According to the project, the construction work of 2,500 meters runway, ATC tower, seven buildings, and a hangar has been completed. Finishing work of these infrastructures is in progress.
The only thing left to do is to install the equipment, including lighting at the airport. More than 50 percent of the equipment has been connected at the airport, and the remaining will arrive shortly.
The construction of the airport will be completed within six months after the arrival of the equipment, informed Vinesh Munkarmi, chief engineer of the airport project. "If there was no problem with Covid-19, it could have been completed sooner. Due to Covid-19, the work had to be completely stopped for about 3 months," he added.
Chinese workers who had gone to their country to celebrate the New Year 2020 were stranded there because of coronavirus. "Now they are coming in large numbers," he said.

Connection work will begin as soon as they arrive. Munkarmi informed that technicians need to come from China, Europe, and Australia to complete the technical works. The work is expected to be completed within June 2021.