Minister for Culture Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari has directed the concerned stakeholders to complete the construction work of Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) within a year.

After inspecting the under construction airport in Bhairahawa on Sunday, the Civil Aviation Minister directed the contractor company, and staffers of the project to expedite the work so as to meet the deadline. Saying that the airport’s construction work is linked with the country’s prestige, he urged the stakeholders to demonstrate the eagerness to finish the work on time.

“Almost every day national and international flights are forced to hold on the sky because there is no alternative to Tribhuvan International Airport. There is obligation to divert the plane to foreign country in case of emergency,” said Adhikari. “It is imperative to complete the work within a year in order get rid of the problem. So we can’t afford to wait more than a year.”

Minister Adhikari expressed his confidence that the airport project could be completed within the next nine months if all the concerned sides worked together. “Do whatever you need be it adding the machinery, manpower or work shifts,” he said. “Unlike in the past, there won’t be any excuse for lingering the work as this government has come with a fresh mandate.”

He visited the airport take stock of the work progress, problems and causes of delay at the airport which is being upgraded to an international airport. The airport is the gateway to the pilgrimage destination of Lumbini.

The airport construction project was initiated an estimated amount of Rs6.22 billion out of which 18 percent is subsidy from Asian Development Bank (ADB) and 40.5 percent is loan from ADB.

The ADB had given the deadline of completing 50 percent of work by June, 2018. Saying that there is only 70 days left for the deadline, Minister Adhikari urged the project stakeholders to work with proper planning, evaluation and result.

The airport project chief Om Shamra said the work has been moving smoothly according to the schedule.