By Yadu Prasad Bhatt,Manang, May 12: Manang’s Humde Airport, which underwent blacktopping by the Civil Aviation Authority Nepal (CAAN) for Rs. 90 million in 1998, remains unused.
According to the CAAN, nine airports have become non-operational despite being blacktopped, and Humde Airport in Manang is among them.
Humde Airport, Baglung Airport, Chaurjahari Airport in Rukum, Lamidanda Airport in Khotang, Masinechaur Airport in Dolpa, and Sunthrali Airport in Kalikot are currently out of operation. Challenges such as limited access to road transport, short runways, dearth of small aircraft and high airfare are preventing these airports from being utilised.
Despite being a reliable means of transportation in the remote Himalayan region, the airport has not yet become operational. The people of Manang still have to bear the burden of paying millions of rupees for helicopter services at the time of medical emergencies.
A test flight was conducted shortly after the completion of the blacktopping, but regular flights could not start. Due to the lack of government indifference in operating the airport, which has remained closed for a long time, it has become unused and is now turning into a grazing field for livestock.
Humde Airport, which underwent upgrades nine years ago to facilitate year-round usability, is yet to receive any commercial flights.
Due to its lack of connectivity to the road network, some air service companies are not operating flights to the airport, causing inconvenience to locals.
Kancha Ghale, Chairperson of Ngisyang Rural Municipality in Manang, said that Humde Airport was one of the most picturesque locations in Nepal. He added, “Despite its beauty and potential, it has been a decade since an airplane has landed here.”
After the test flight, the runway at Humde Airport, originally closed, was expanded from 600 to 900 metres following the blacktopping. Before the blacktopping, Nepal Airlines Corporation operated flights from Pokhara twice a week.
The airport has been entirely closed since 2013. Flights in Humde airport, situated at an altitude of 3,330 meters, had started in September 1972.
Rajeev Gurung, Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development and Transport of the Gandaki Province, said that despite the blacktopping of the airport, landing posed challenges due to difficult geographical terrain.
He said that the number of aircraft with a single engine is extremely low, and due to the construction of the airport during the early days of the Panchayat era, operational challenges persist.
According to CAAN, a minimum of Rs. 450 million has been allocated for airport construction in the Himalayan region, Rs. 350 million in mountainous areas, and Rs. 500 million in the Tarai. If the exact expenditure for the airport is uncertain, the cost is determined based on the area and population density.
Since Manang attracts a considerable number of tourists, efforts were made to resume regular flights at the airport, leading to its reopening on September 13, 2019. However, the endeavours of the former Chief Minister of Gandaki Province to revive the airport did not yield tangible results.
Both locals and tourists face hardships due to the airport’s closure. Being situated at a high altitude, Humde Airport poses challenges for patients and tourists susceptible to hypothermia caused by oxygen deficiency.
In cases of sudden illness or accidents, transportation becomes problematic in this area, with air travel being the only viable option for accessing medical treatment. However, the long-standing issue of the airport’s inoperability poses a significant challenge.
The locals emphasised that due to the fluctuating climate typical of the Himalayan region, the absence of an operational airport could pose challenges in accessing healthcare.
Binod Gurung, President of the Hoteliers Association Manang, said that in the event of serious injury or sudden illness requiring hospitalisation, helicopters must be summoned for transportation.The Rising Nepal
