Entrepreneurs protest for regular international flights from GBIA

RUPANDEHI, Dec 09:Rupandehi industrialists and entrepreneurs have begun a protest, claiming that there is no regular international flight from Gautam Buddha Airport.

According to the pre-announced program, 32 Rupandehi organizations affiliated with the Siddharth Network Rupandehi began protesting on the streets of Bhairahawa on Friday. Protesters marched from Devkota Chowk in Bhairahawa to Bank Road, Milan Chowk, Narayana Path, and Buddha Chowk.

The protest was started by industrialists and businessmen who raised slogans demanding the establishment of government offices related to the airport such as immigration, customs, quarantine, postal, labor, and health examination.

The network's president, Anil Kumar Gyawali, stated that the movement will continue until the government meets its demands. Previously, the network demanded that international flights be regularized in a memorandum to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Chairman of the Nepali Congress Sher Bahadur Deuba, and other relevant bodies.

"We announced a protest a month ago and submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, but we had no choice but to take to the streets as we did not see any response to the demands," said Gyawali, adding, "The private sector has already invested more than 60 billion in the hotel and tourism business in view of the airport, but if international flights are not possible, business investment will sink." We are very concerned.

According to the network's coordinator, Chandra Prakash Shrestha, the businessmen were forced to take to the streets after their demands were not met. Although Jazeera and Himalayan Airlines used to fly from the airport inaugurated by then-Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba a year and a half ago, flights have been suspended for nearly a year. At the moment, 15 Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines, and Shree Airlines aircraft operate domestic flights from the airport.

Along with the Siddharth Network, the Nepal Association of Travels and Tour Agents (NATTA) Lumbini and the Siddharth Udyog Commerce Association are protesting separately, demanding that the government-owned Nepal Airlines Corporation resume regular domestic and international flights from the airport.

Businessmen are demanding that regular service be resumed from Nepal Air Service Corporation's aircraft, as other domestic and foreign airlines are unwilling to fly until the national flag carrier aircraft is operational.  At least 25 percent of the international flights departing from Tribhuvan International Airport Kathmandu must be arranged for flights from Gautam Buddha International Airport. After the operation of Gautam Budh International Airport, various concessions have been given to attract national and international airline companies for flight and landing, and they demand that the concession should be continued for one more year.

They said that if the demand is not met, industrialists, various associations and organizations will hold protest programs at the airport, from stopping domestic flights.