Nijgadh International Airport

Nijgadh International Airport is a proposed airport development project in southeastern Nepal designed to relieve expected capacity restraints at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu. The proposed airport site lies 150kms from Kathmandu by road. It is expected that the airport will feature two parallel runways and will be capable of handling 15 million passengers annually. The investment in the project is estimated at USD1.2 billion.

Apr-2019. Investment Board Nepal reported the Nijgadh International Airport development project attracted bids from six potential investors at the Nepal Investment Summit in Mar-2019. Nijgadh Airport will require an estimated investment of USD3.5 billion to develop.

Jan-2019. Qatar proposed an international airport project in Nijgadh to the Government of Nepal. The investment in the project is estimated at USD1.2 billion and will serve as an alternative to Kathmandu Tribhuvan Airport.

Sep-2018. Nepal's Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) Rabindra Adhikari reported the Nijgadh International Airport development project is expected to be completed within the next seven years, adding "We expect to complete the preparatory works in two years and the construction of the airport might take four to five years more”. The airport will be equipped with a 3600m x 60m runway.

Aug-2018. Nepal's Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) stated it plans to issue a LoI to finalise the construction modality for the Nijgadh International Airport development project in the near future.

May-2018. Nepal's Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari reported up to 40 foreign investors expressed interest in the Nijgadh International Airport development project. Mr Adhikari confirmed the Nepal Government does not plan to provide funding to develop the airport and will instead rely on private investment. He added that the government has "not come to a conclusion regarding the airport's development modality" but is likely to select either the build, own, operate and transfer or engineering, procurement, construction and finance model. The government aims to issue a construction tender for Nijgadh by Jul-2019.

Jan-2018. Nepal's Ministry of Finance recommended the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MCTCA) use an engineering, procurement, construction and finance (EPCF) model for the Nijgadh International Airport development project. MCTCA is expected to submit a formal proposal for the project to Nepal's Cabinet in the near future.

May-2017. Nepal’s Government will open tenders for the construction of Nijgadh International Airport and Pokhara International Airport in FY2018.

Nov-2016. Nepal's Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation reportedly plans to prepare a "detailed project report" for Nijgadh/Dhumberwana International Airport. Currently, plans for either a 4000m or 3600m runway are being considered, and equipment to handle widebody aircraft will be installed. Likewise, either an 100,000sqm or 75,000sqm terminal is being considered.

Aug-2016. Nepal’s Government commenced the land acquisition of 184 acres of land towards the Nijgadh International Airport project.

May-2016. 

25-May-2016. Nepal’s K P Oli Government will provide NPR5 billion (USD46.2 million) for the Nijgadh/Dhuberwana International Airport construction project. The funds would go towards land acquisition, household resettlement, environment impact assessment and the project report preparation. The government will need 481 acres of land for the project.

09-May-2016. Nepal’s PM K P Sharma Oli and his Cabinet decided on 05-May-2016 to initiate the land acquisition process for the development of Nepal’s second airport, Nijgadh International Airport, at the cost of USD1.2 billion. A feasibility study reportedly prepared in Apr-2011 stated the airport would cover 3000 hectares of land where 2000 hectares would be used for the airport and the remaining 1000 hectares would go towards an airpot city development.

Mar-2016. Nepal Parliament Finance Committee ordered the ministries of finance, culture & tourism and civil aviation to commence work on the new Nijgadh International Airport.

Jan-2016. Nepal’s International Relations and Labour Committee directed the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to immediately begin construction works of the proposed Nijgadh Airport. The committee issued the Ministry to begin with the land acquisition process and prepare for construction works. The construction works is expected to require approximately NPR35.51 billion (USD341 million), of which NPR1 billion (USD9.6 million) has been spent in the last two fiscal years.

Jul-2015. Nepal Government prioritised the development of airports and re-branding of Nepal’s tourism industry in the national budget for the next fiscal year. The Government will invest in the expansion of Tribhuvan International Airport, regional international airports in Bhairahawa and Pokhara, and small airports in rural hill districts as it seeks to enhance airport capacity and facilities. There however appears to be no budget allocation for the second international airport in Nijgadh, although the budget has reportedly addressed the airport’s key components—smart city in Nijgadh and Fast-Track road connecting Nijgadh and Kathmandu.

Jun-2015. Nepal's Government authorised the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to commence land acquisition for construction of the country's second international airport at Nijgadh. The government allocated NPR500 million (USD4.9 million) for the project in FY2015. Land acquisition and resettlement is expected to be complete within three years.

May-2015. Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport GM Birendra Prasad Shrestha said recent earthquake disasters in Nepal have shown that "an alternative international airport is a must". He explained: "If anything had happened to TIA, the country’s international connection would also break making it impossible to take any support anywhere and save lives. We have a clear example of the Turkish Airlines’ aircraft blocking the runway and keeping the country out of international contact. If we had an alternative international airport, it would have been easier in managing distribution of relief materials effectively. TIA runway has already saturated and it is also not possible to rehabilitate the airport fully without an alternative international airport. So, the Second International Airport is a must".

Apr-2015. The Investment Board Nepal (IBN) has decided to undertake a study on the proposed Nijgadh/Dhumberwana International Airport project to determine necessary future actions.

Mar-2015. Nepal’s Cabinet approved an application by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation to demarcate an 80sqkm site for the construction of Nijgadh/Dhumberwana International Airport.

Oct-2014. Nepal's Government commenced land clearance for the Nijgadh Airport project and allocated NPR500 million (USD5 million) for initial preparatory works.