Recentfusion.com—Pokhara: Western Regional Hotel Association (WRHA) Pokhara has criticized the negative remarks about Pokhara Regional International Airport (PRIA) given by Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Jeevan Bahadur Shahi during his recent Pokhara visit.
Issuing a press release today, WRHA Pokhara president Bharat Raj Parajuli flayed the statement made by minister Shahi. Shahi had said that the Nepal was capable to build PRIA on its own. He also had stated that the PRIA could be built by Nepali funds and the construction of PRIA from foreign loan is a kind of fraud against the nation.
“As Nepal and Chinese sides clinched almost all the required pact to construct PRIA and the foundation stone to build for new airport was laid by then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, why did minister Shahi spit venom against the project of national honor.”, said president Parajuli in his release on behalf of WRHA Pokhara.
The release also termed the minister’s statement childish and light as according to WRHA Pokhara, it could damage the relationship between two nations. People from Pokhara have been eagerly waiting for the construction of PRIA for more than 4 decades but their dream is yet to be fulfilled.
Then Prime Mininster KP Sharma Oli had laid the foundation stone of PRIA on 13 April, 2016 in Chhine Danda of Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan City. The airport building contract had received China CAMC Engineering Co. Ltd .
The government had acquired 3,106 ropanis of land 4 decade before; and latter, more 629 ropanis of land was acquired to build a new airport in touristy town Pokhara. Export Import Bank of China would provide USD 215 million soft loan to build the new airport in EPC model.
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