Nalinchowk Heliport suspends operations due to safety concerns

KATHMANDU: Nalinchowk Heliport has ceased flight operations starting today, July 11, due to significant air safety risks. Pilots announced they would not be flying from the heliport from Thursday onward, citing high safety concerns.

Last week, the pilots sent a letter to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), highlighting the heliport’s limitations and the absence of essential services. Following this communication, the decision was made to halt flights from Nalinchowk Heliport. Although discussions were held with the authorities, no resolution was reached.

As a result, all helicopters at Nalinchowk Heliport are currently grounded.

The suspension of operations comes just two weeks after the heliport was inaugurated by Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Hit Bahadur Tamang in Bhaktapur.

CAAN Information Officer Gyanendra Bhul stated that there had been no official notification regarding the suspension of flights. In response to the pilots’ concerns, a 15-member committee has been formed with the goal of resolving the issues within a week.

Bhul noted that the heliport had recently begun operations, and some infrastructure is still under construction. Consequently, Nalinchowk is being operated as a helipad rather than a fully functional heliport for the time being.