PM urged to talk about Nepalgunj-Delhi Flight during his upcoming India visit

Kathmandu, Aug. 11

A request has been made to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to take up the matter regarding the operation of a direct Nepalgunj–New Delhi flight with India.

A delegation from the Nepalgunj–Delhi Flight Pressure Group, comprising people’s representatives and industrialists/businesspeople from Banke and Bardiya, met the Prime Minister at his official residence in Baluwatar on Monday and drew his attention to the matter. They also handed over a memorandum to the Prime Minister.

Tanka Dhami, coordinator of the group and President of the Nepalgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that Prime Minister Oli, upon receiving the memorandum, expressed a positive stance and assured that he would discuss the issue with the Government of India.

On the occasion, Dhami said the Prime Minister had also sought attention to the extension of Nepalgunj Airport’s runway, land conservation, and related works, and that he appeared very positive about the flight. “I will raise this matter with my Indian counterpart. Let us see what response he will give,” Dhami said quoting Prime Minister Oli.

The delegation said that as Nepalgunj Airport had already been upgraded to meet international standards, it was now time to start the service, and they requested action to that end.

According to them, the Nepalgunj–New Delhi direct flight was essential for establishing Nepalgunj as the 'Gateway to Mansarovar' and pointed out that residents of around 25 districts in Sudurpaschim, Karnali, and Lumbini provinces would directly benefit from it.

The airport is capable of serving 600 passengers per hour and that all necessary infrastructure for the flight had already been completed.

Surya Dhakal, Member of the House of Representatives from Banke Constituency 1, who was part of the delegation, said the demand was for the operation of a direct Nepalgunj–New Delhi air service to facilitate air connectivity and promote tourism in 32 districts of western Nepal.

The delegation also met with Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, where the latter said that she would make every possible effort to initiate direct flights between Nepalgunj and New Delhi.

“I have already been working to push for this flight for some time. We have placed the Nepalgunj–Delhi flight agenda as a priority. This flight will bring mutual benefits to both Nepal and India, and the more we can enhance connectivity, the more Nepal will benefit. Therefore, I will work towards making this flight happen,” she said, according to a statement issued by her secretariat.

She stated that increased connectivity between Nepal and India would boost tourism, transport, trade, industry, and people-to-people relations, thereby benefiting both sides.

FM Dr. Rana noted that the flight would make a significant contribution to the economy of western Nepal and transform the face of the region. "Nepalgunj already has hotels and other necessary tourism infrastructure in place which make me determined to pursue the Nepalgunj–Delhi flight seriously," she said.

Earlier, on Sunday, the delegation met Tourism Minister Badri Prasad Pandey and urged him for the same. It also organised a large discussion programme at the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) office to deliberate on the proposed service and its benefits.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 12 August 2025.