October 18, 2024
KATHMANDU – Despite a paved runway being built for regular flights, Balewa Airport in Baglung is now overgrown with grass. Weeds have sprouted across the site, and no one seems interested in operating the airport, which was completed four years ago.
When the runway was unpaved, flights occasionally landed, but since the upgrade, not a single plane has touched down. Located in Narayansthan, Baglung Municipality-14, the airport’s perimeter fence is rusting. Visitors now come to take photos through the wire fencing, with some praising the smooth tarmac and others questioning on social media when flights will resume. But no one has an answer. “The airport has been left abandoned, and now grass is taking over,” said Chakra Bahadur Khatri, the ward chair.
No one knows how the airport, initially built to facilitate flights, will resume operations. Even Pokhara Airport, responsible for overseeing Balewa, has no information. Pokhara staff noted that decisions regarding flights rest with the central office and the director general, leaving them unable to provide answers.
The last flights from Balewa Airport ceased in 1993. Between 1965 and 1993, residents of Baglung, Parbat, and Myagdi regularly flew to Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Bhairahawa. However, flights were halted after the completion of the Pokhara-Baglung highway.
In 2014, then Tourism Minister Lokendra Bista attempted to restart flights. After local governments were established, Baglung Municipality funded nearly four months of flights, covering the cost of empty seats. With up to two weekly flights, the municipality paid over Rs2 million, but flights were discontinued when the losses became unsustainable.
Following this, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal paved the runway under the municipality’s leadership. However, interest in operating the airport dwindled after the paving was completed. The runway was paved in April 2021 at a cost of NPR 82.4 million by the “Kasthamandap Uma and Joint Construction Company.” The 700-metre tarmac is part of a larger 1,100-metre gravel field, enclosed by a 30-metre wide fence. Despite the renovation of the terminal building, no efforts have been made to resume flights.
The airport, initially constructed between 1959 and 1961 by local residents, was once the site of regular flights to Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Bhairahawa. Krishna Bahadur Khadka, a local, recalled how air services stopped after roads improved. In 2014, then Tourism Minister Bista and Education Minister Dinanath Sharma even landed at Balewa in a Nepal Airlines flight, promising to restore regular services.
The poor condition of the access road has been a significant challenge for operating the airport. After incurring financial losses, the municipality initiated the runway paving project. The site now features a 620-metre concrete drainage system, 1,500-metre perimeter fencing, a main gate, and an emergency gate. The airport could accommodate aircraft with seating capacities ranging from 18 to 24 passengers.
The nearby Kali Gandaki Corridor is currently being paved, which could help facilitate airport operations. “Only once the road is paved will we be able to start flights,” said Ward 14 Chairman Khatri. “For now, grass has grown all over the place, and visitors joke about it.” The difficult road network has made it hard to push for further development. Baglung Municipality Chief Basanta Kumar Shrestha echoed this sentiment, saying, “We can’t push forward until there’s better access to taxis.” Once the corridor is paved, the municipality plans to make efforts to start operations.