Entrepreneurs demand flights from Pokhara Int’l Airport

Kathmandu: Industrialists and entrepreneurs have asked Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ to make arrangements for the operation of international flights from Pokhara airport.

During a meeting with Prime Minister Prachanda at Singha Durbar on Monday, a delegation of entrepreneurs under the leadership of the Pokhara Tourism Council put forth 15-point demands including the operation of the international flight from Pokhara.

The business community also asked the PM to lower the bank interest rate to a single digit along with rescheduling of loan. Council Chair Pom Narayan Shrestha said opening heritages of Pokhara including Ratna temple and Hima Griha are also their demands.

He shared that they urged the Prime Minister to take policy-level initiation for the operation of flights immediately from Pokhara to India, China, Bangladesh, and other destinations. The entrepreneurs demanded to make flights effective by making Nepal Airlines Corporation fully commercial and exploring new destinations.

Ensuring the organizational representation of tourism-related organizations by making administrative and managerial reforms of the Nepal Tourism Board, repairing and upgrading of highways for the convenient travel of tourists entering Nepal by road, and structural reform of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) are other demands put forth by the delegation.

On the occasion, industrialists and entrepreneurs, the Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nepal Association of Tours and Travel Agents, the Restaurant and Bar Association, as well as other organizations said they were facing difficulties in running business and requested the Prime Minister to bring paragliding of Pokhara into operation not affecting the international flights (RSS).