KATHMANDU, Sep 17 : The Nepal government is working towards enhancing the safety and reliability of air transport service in the Himalayan nation, Tourism Minister Badri Prasad Pandey said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the inauguration of the annual general meeting of the Nepal Mountaineering Association here, the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation said the government is also taking measures to overhaul the management of Nepal Airlines.
“The present government is concerned about air safety and reliability, and we will take measures towards that direction,” Pandey said.
Recently, air safety has become a major concern for Nepal, with multiple factors like the country’s challenging mountainous terrain, unpredictable weather and ageing aircrafts leading to frequent accidents.
In July, 18 people onboard a Saurya Airlines aircraft were killed after the flight crashed upon takeoff from the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.
Pandey said the government is also taking measures to overhaul the management of Nepal Airlines, the national flag carrier, for its smooth functioning and increased professionalism.
He also called on the private sector for its proactive role in promoting the country’s ailing tourism sector, including mountain tourism, which is considered the backbone of Nepal’s economy.
Highlighting the important role played by mountain tourism in creating jobs for the people and revenue for the government, Nepal Mountaineering Association President Nima Nuru Sherpa urged the government to frame favourable policies, rules and regulations to strengthen the association, which is actively engaged in promoting mountain tourism in the country.
Nepal is home to eight of the 14 mountains that are over 8,000 metres tall.
There are more than 2,000 mountain peaks in Nepal, of which only 405 are open for climbers, according to Sherpa. The NMA has requested the government to open 57 more peaks for climbers, he added. (PTI)
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