Kathmandu, October 9
Officials of Nepal and India held a meeting in Kathmandu on Friday to discuss opening new air gateways between the two countries.
The meeting between Nepal’s Civil Aviation Minister Yogesh Bhattarai and Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, however, has not made any decision today. Bhattarai has said the discussion was ‘fruitful’ though.
The minister’s secretariat says Nepal has already sent a letter to the concerned Indian authorities with a demand for new gateways near Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj and Mahendranagar, which India is yet to respond to. The Friday meeting was focused on finalising that matter.
Likewise, the officials also discussed reopening flights between the two countries after a suspension of around seven months due to the Covid-19 crisis. The ministry has proposed reopening flights from and to India on October 17.
Minister Bhattarai and Ambassador Kwatra also expressed commitments to implement the concept of Ramayan Circuit that connected Nepal’s Janakpur and India’s Ayodhya for religious tourism.
