Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel on Wednesday said that the Gautam Buddha International Airport will soon operate at full capacity.

Delivering a keynote speech at the Lumbiniko Samarthya event, organised by the Kantipur Media Group in Bhairahawa, Finance Minister Paudel spoke about the important decisions made to ensure the airport becomes fully operational in the near future.

“Initially, there was controversy over why the Gautam Buddha International Airport was needed. Even during its construction, there were doubts about whether it would be completed. But we completed it, and now it is a fully functional international airport,” Paudel said. “Now, once again, there are doubts about whether the airport will operate at full capacity. Some are claiming that the investment has gone to waste. But this is not true. We will soon prove that it will operate at full capacity.”

Paudel explained that the current terminal, though small, will be converted into a domestic terminal while a new terminal will be built for international flights. He added that this will make the airport the largest international airport in Nepal, with adequate infrastructure to support its operations.

“The question of whether the airport will operate or not is outdated. The airport wasn’t just built to be constructed; it was built to be operated, and it will soon be operating at full capacity. We’ve held several meetings with relevant stakeholders and authorities to discuss how to utilise the airport fully. Important decisions have been made, with some already implemented and others currently in progress,” Paudel said.

He also said that the government is bringing special discount packages for international airlines to encourage operations from the airport. Discussions with various international airlines are ongoing.

“Let there be criticism; we will soon prove that the airport will operate at full capacity,” he said.