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The concept of constructing an international airport in Pokhara was first developed in 1971.[2] In 1976, the Government of Nepal acquired land for that purpose.[3] In 1989, the Japan International Cooperation Agency conducted a study regarding the construction of the airport.[4] The project stalled, however, and was reinitiated in 2009, when a new agreement on air travel between India and Nepal was signed.[5] In 2013, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal signed an agreement with China CAMC Engineering for the construction of the airport. The construction of the airport started in April 2016 and is expected to be completed after five years in 2021 with a cost of around US$305 million,[6] out of which The Export-Import Bank of China provided around 215 million USD preferential loan to Nepal and China Aid provided part of loan interest to lower the total loan interest ,the Asian Development Bank supported with USD 37 million in loans and grants and the OPEC Fund for International Development with an USD 11 million loan.[7] The airport is expected to handle one million passengers per year.[6]
Construction of the building of airport in Pokhara
A scene of constructing Pokhara International Airport
In April 2016, prime minister KP Sharma Oli laid the foundation stone of the new airport with the aim of beginning operations at the airport on 10 July 2021.[8] In 2020, it was proposed to open both new international airports of Nepal, Pokhara and Gautam Buddha Airport, on the same day.[9] In 2020, it was revealed that close-by Rithepani Hill to the eastern end of the approach would needed to be flattened to ease approach to the airport.[10] This decision to was delayed due to severe protesting by locals.[11] The flattening would not start until late 2022.[12]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nepal, in 2021, the construction deadline was extended until 2022.[13] In October 2021, officials confirmed that the airport would open in two steps: domestic flights will begin in January 2022, while international flights will begin in April 2022.[14]
In 2022, it was announced that calibration flights would begin in October 2022.[15] They would later take place in late November 2022.[16]
In mid-2022, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal pushed back the opening to December 2022 due to a lack of flight inspections.[17] On 8 August 2022, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal set the official opening date for 1 January 2023.[18]