Horse reproduction centre to be shifted for airport expansion

CHITWAN, Jan 26:Preparation has been advanced to expand Bharatpur Airport by shifting the Nepal Army’s Bharatpur-based Horse Reproduction Centre. s The shifting of the center has been taken ahead as an appropriate alternative after a long ground work.

Now small aircrafts are only being operated on day time due to short runway of the airport. The airport is going to be expanded as there will be a short of aircrafts with the small carrier turning old in a couple of years. The expansion work is going to move forward with positive response from all the concerned local governments.

Bharatpur Metropolitan City has been taking initiatives for the expansion. Bharatpur Mayor Renu Dahal informed that it was agreed to expand the airport by transferring the horse reproduction centre. It may be noted that the Prime Minister had already directed to bring the proposal to this effect in the cabinet meeting.

According to Mayor Dahal, the runway of the airport is to be expanded to 1,500 meters. With the expansion, big aircrafts with the capacity of 72 seats can be operated in the night time. At a programme organized at the Shree Naya Sabuj Battalion at Bharatpur on Saturday, Defense Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka said that 19 bigha four kattha four dhur land owned by the barrack has to be handed to the airport for its expansion bid.

He informed that the reproduction centre will be shifted to the Shaktikhor-based barrack in Kalika municipality. Minister Khadka said the ministry will take ahead necessary process to shift the reproduction centre after carrying out on-site inspection. The centre has a total of 110 horses. It has been operational since 2041 BS.