KATHMANDU: Effective immediately, aircraft landing from the northern point (Runway 20) of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) have been temporarily prohibited for a duration of three months. Flights will continue uninterrupted, but only from the southern point (Runway 02), potentially leading to increased traffic on the southern runway.
Pratap Babu Tiwari, TIA’s General Manager, clarified that the ban on landing from Runway 02 towards Bauddha began today due to ongoing construction and expansion work on the taxiway to the north, aimed at enhancing airport infrastructure. The ban will notably impact mountain and domestic flights, expected to persist for approximately three months.
Following completion of work on the north side, similar construction will commence on the south side to further augment the airport’s operational capacity.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has been executing multiple projects outlined in the master plan for TIA’s infrastructure enhancement spanning from 2010 to 2028. Since 2009, ADB’s support has facilitated the initial phase of capacity enhancement at TIA through the Air Transport Capacity Enhancement Project (ATCEP), aligned with the master plan objectives.
Ongoing projects under ATCEP encompass extending the parallel taxiway’s northern segment, enlarging the apron area for passenger services, and extending the southern runway by 300 meters, aiming to accommodate future air traffic demands.