The Nepal Weekly 
January 3, 2023
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ inaugurated Pokhara’s new airport known as Pokhara Regional International Airport (PRIA) built on Sunday. The airport was built with the Chinese assistance in the touristic city of Nepal in the west from Kathmandu.
PM Dahal unveiled a plaque marking the official inauguration of the PRIA. Deputy Prime and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel and other level leaders were also present on the occasion.
The PRIA, a flagship project of Nepal-China Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation, was constructed with Chinese loan assistance.
PRIA is likely to witness international flight movements after the second week of February.
PM Dahal also requested the Chinese government to facilitate the opening of border crossings with China and to assist in the construction of railway services and other projects.
“I became the Prime Minister after being elected from Gandaki Province, the people here have given me the opportunity to serve as the Prime Minister for a third time, I want to thank them for this,” he said.
Chinese Embassy Charge de Affaires Wang Xin said that the airport is designed and built as per Chinese standards, which reflects the high q ..Chinese Embassy Charge de Affaires Wang Xin said that the airport is designed and built as per Chinese standards, which reflects the high quality of Chinese engineering, and symbolises the national honour of Nepal.
He said that the arrival of Chinese tourists would greatly contribute to Nepal’s tourism sector as the country unveils ‘Tourism Decade 2023-2033.’
“Under the guidance of the two heads of state, we will jointly build the trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network, and let the BRI cooperation bear fruitful results,” he added.
“As the two-way trade at the Kerung/Rasuwagadhi border port resumed export of Nepali products to China had started again. The two-way trade at t ..
“The expert team for the feasibility study & survey of China-Nepal Cross-Border Railway has recently arrived in Nepal, marking an important step in the construction of this ‘sky road’. Nepal’s dream from a ‘land-locked country’ to a ‘land-linked country’ will finally come true,” he mentioned.
Meanwhile, Gandaki Province Chief Minister Krishna Chandra Pokharel urged the Chinese government to transform the loan it provided for the Pokhara airport construction project into grants.
“I urge the government of China through the Chinese Embassy here to convert 75 per cent of the total loan into grants,” Pokharel said.
Pokharel expressed hopes that the arrival of tourists in the town would increase significantly with the operation of the international airport.
Pokhara is the second largest city in Nepal with about 500,000residents. The city is also known as city of lakes. It is the starting point for most of the treks in the Annapurna area. It is a very popular location with most people staying around the beautiful Fewa Lake. Dozens of hotels and restaurants are sprouting like mushrooms everywhere, and today it is much easier to find modern amenities not common to other locations in Nepal.
