Flights between Nepal, India to resume

Kathmandu [Nepal], December 1 (ANI): Stalled for nearly nine months, flights between Kathmandu and New Delhi are set to resume from next week under the 'air bubble' concept, government officials confirmed.

Flight connection between Nepali and Indian capital would resume from next week with the completion of preparations, Buddhi Sagar Lamicchane, the Joint Secretary at Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, confirmed.

"We will send a positive response to the 'air bubble' concept that India sent through the diplomatic channel to the ministry regarding the date of operating the flights. After this, the airlines of both countries would be asked to make the necessary preparations to resume the flights. It will take a maximum of 10 days starting Tuesday," Lamicchane told ANI.

Accepting the proposal of India for 'air bubble' only two flights would be operated in between the Indian and Nepali capital on the first of the phased planned resumption.

"One airline each from Nepal and India will each operate flights between Kathmandu and New Delhi. The two countries can increase the number of flights based as deemed necessary later," Lamicchane added.

A meeting of Council of Ministers on November 25 had decided to accept the proposal floated by India. Furthermore, the meeting also decided to grant authority to MoCTCA (Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation) to grant permission for the same based on the need.

"The flights would be operated after the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the regulatory body, together with India's aviation agency, prepares the flight standards," Joint Secretary at MoCTCA explained further.

Although Nepal decided to resume international flights on September 1, nearly after six months of its discontinuation in wake of Covid-19 pandemic, flights to three destinations in India - New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore - are yet to resume owing to the increasing rate of Covid-19 infection. (ANI)