Pokhara Regional International Airportपोखरा क्षेत्रीय अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय विमानस्थल

What has it delivered so far?

• “२०७९पुस १६देखि व्यवसायिक उडान शुरु भएको।” (from project start to FY 2082/83मिति आयोजना शुरु भएदेखि आ.व.२०८२/८३ सम्म) National Planning Commissionराष्ट्रिय योजना आयोग राष्ट्रिय गौरवका आयोजनाको समष्टिगत प्रगति विवरण, PDF p.2, (ख) row २, column 'कैफियत'
• “यस विमानस्थलबाट २०८१।८२ मा १० अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय उडान गर्ने लक्ष्य रहेकोमा ५० उडान भएको छ। लक्ष्यअनुसार उडान भए पनि नियमित उडान हुन सकेको छैन।” (as of 2081/82) Office of the Auditor Generalमहालेखा परीक्षकको कार्यालय OAG 63rd report PDF p.522, para ११.२
• Pokhara 13390 13394 26784 459370 427414 886784 (domestic departures, arrivals, total flights; departing, arriving, total passengers) (as of 2025 (calendar year, per annex group 'in 2025')) Ministry of Finance (mof.gov.np) - unofficial English translationअर्थ मन्त्रालय - unofficial English translation Economic Survey 2025/26 (unofficial English), Annex 8.20 'Details of Domestic Flights and Passengers Operated from Domestic Airports' (calendar 2025; source MoCTCA)
• “We will collaborate with the private sector for the operational management of Gautam Buddha International Airport and Pokhara Regional International Airport.” (as of 2083/84 budget speech) Ministry of Finance (mof.gov.np) - unofficial English translationअर्थ मन्त्रालय - unofficial English translation Budget Speech FY 2026/27 (unofficial English), para 53(b), p.34

When will it be finished?

Started

“२०७३/७४” (from project start to FY 2082/83मिति आयोजना शुरु भएदेखि आ.व.२०८२/८३ सम्म) National Planning Commissionराष्ट्रिय योजना आयोग राष्ट्रिय गौरवका आयोजनाको समष्टिगत प्रगति विवरण, PDF p.2, (ख) row २, column 'आयोजना शुरु आ.व.'

First planned completion

“आर्थिक वर्ष २०७७।७८ मा रू.२४ अर्ब ८६ करोड लागतमा सम्पन्न गर्ने लक्ष्य रहेकोमा” (as of २०८१।८२ सम्म (to FY 2081/82)) Office of the Auditor Generalमहालेखा परीक्षकको कार्यालय OAG 63rd report PDF p.522, para ११.२
Other official figures: “२०७७/७८” (as of undated brief (its published file name carries 2082/06/10; PDF created 2025-10-07)) National Planning Commissionराष्ट्रिय योजना आयोग NPC overrun brief PDF p.3, Table १, row ३, column 'प्रारम्भिक'

Revised completion

“रू.२४ अर्ब ५८ करोड लागतमा २०७९।८० मा सम्पन्न भई सञ्चालनमा रहेको छ।” (as of २०८१।८२ सम्म (to FY 2081/82)) Office of the Auditor Generalमहालेखा परीक्षकको कार्यालय OAG 63rd report PDF p.522, para ११.२

Revised completion

“२०७९/८०” (as of undated brief (its published file name carries 2082/06/10; PDF created 2025-10-07)) National Planning Commissionराष्ट्रिय योजना आयोग NPC overrun brief PDF p.3, Table १, row ३, column 'संशोधित'

Revised completion

“२०७९/८०” (from project start to FY 2082/83मिति आयोजना शुरु भएदेखि आ.व.२०८२/८३ सम्म) National Planning Commissionराष्ट्रिय योजना आयोग राष्ट्रिय गौरवका आयोजनाको समष्टिगत प्रगति विवरण, PDF p.2, (ख) row २, column 'आयोजना सम्पन्न हुने आ.व.'

Behind the first plan

2 Bikram Sambat years Calculated by Policy Nepal from the two official figures shown.

What does it cost?

First cost estimate

Rs 22 billionरु. २२ अर्ब · “२२०० (रु.करोडमा)” (from project start to FY 2082/83मिति आयोजना शुरु भएदेखि आ.व.२०८२/८३ सम्म) National Planning Commissionराष्ट्रिय योजना आयोग राष्ट्रिय गौरवका आयोजनाको समष्टिगत प्रगति विवरण, PDF p.2, (ख) row २, column 'आयोजना लागत अनुमान (रु.करोडमा) | शुरु लागत अनुमान'
Other official figures: “२२००.००” (as of undated brief (its published file name carries 2082/06/10; PDF created 2025-10-07)) National Planning Commissionराष्ट्रिय योजना आयोग NPC overrun brief PDF p.3, Table १, row ३; “रू.२४ अर्ब ८६ करोड” (as of २०८१।८२ सम्म (to FY 2081/82)) Office of the Auditor Generalमहालेखा परीक्षकको कार्यालय OAG 63rd report PDF p.522, para ११.२ (target cost)

Revised cost estimate

Rs 24.9 billionरु. २४.९ अर्ब · “२४८६” रु. करोड (as of २०८१।८२ सम्म (to FY 2081/82)) Office of the Auditor Generalमहालेखा परीक्षकको कार्यालय OAG 63rd report PDF p.50, table row ३, column 'शंसोधित लागत अनुमान'; PDF p.521 table row २ column 'लागत'

Revised cost estimate

Rs 25.3 billionरु. २५.३ अर्ब · “२५३४.००” (as of undated brief (its published file name carries 2082/06/10; PDF created 2025-10-07)) National Planning Commissionराष्ट्रिय योजना आयोग NPC overrun brief PDF p.3, Table १, row ३, column 'आयोजनाको संशोधित लागत (रू.करोडमा)'; text: 'निर्माण लागत रू. २,२०० करोडबाट रु. २,५३४ करोड पुगेको छ'

Spent so far

Rs 24.6 billionरु. २४.६ अर्ब · “रू.२४ अर्ब ५८ करोड लागतमा २०७९।८० मा सम्पन्न” (as of २०८१।८२ सम्म (to FY 2081/82)) Office of the Auditor Generalमहालेखा परीक्षकको कार्यालय OAG 63rd report PDF p.522, para ११.२

Spent so far

Rs 21.8 billionरु. २१.८ अर्ब · “२१७५.६५ (रु.करोडमा)” (from project start to FY 2081/82मिति आयोजना शुरु भएदेखि आ.व. २०८१/८२ सम्म) National Planning Commissionराष्ट्रिय योजना आयोग राष्ट्रिय गौरवका आयोजनाको समष्टिगत प्रगति विवरण, PDF p.2, (ख) row २, column 'कुल खर्च (रु.करोडमा)'

Spent so far

Rs 21.8 billionरु. २१.८ अर्ब · “२१७५.६५ (रु.करोडमा)” (from project start to FY 2082/83मिति आयोजना शुरु भएदेखि आ.व.२०८२/८३ सम्म) National Planning Commissionराष्ट्रिय योजना आयोग राष्ट्रिय गौरवका आयोजनाको समष्टिगत प्रगति विवरण, PDF p.2, (ख) row २, column 'कुल खर्च (रु.करोडमा)'

Budget each year

Progress over time

Every official progress figure we have found, oldest first. Physical progress is the share of construction work done; financial progress is the share of the budget spent.

Who builds it and who pays?

Ministry

“संस्कृति, पर्यटन तथा नागरिक उड्डयन मन्त्रालय” (as of २०८१।८२ सम्म (to FY 2081/82)) Office of the Auditor Generalमहालेखा परीक्षकको कार्यालय OAG 63rd report PDF p.521 (printed p.४८९), para ११ table row २

Where

“Pokhara International Airport - Kaski, Gandaki Province” (as of page accessed 2026-10-17) Civil Aviation Authority of Nepalनेपाल नागरिक उड्डयन प्राधिकरण CAAN 'International Airports Under CAAN' page

What did the Auditor General find?

• Started 2074/75 with target completion 2077/78 at Rs 24.86 arba; completed 2079/80 at Rs 24.58 arba. Target for 2081/82 was 10 international flights; 50 operated, but regular international flights have not been established - OAG asks for arrangements for regular international flights and use of the built infrastructure. (as of २०८१।८२ सम्म (to FY 2081/82)) Office of the Auditor Generalमहालेखा परीक्षकको कार्यालय OAG 63rd report PDF p.522 (printed p.४९०), para ११.२

Why is it a national pride project?

• “पोखरा क्षेत्रीय अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय विमानस्थल” (from project start to FY 2082/83मिति आयोजना शुरु भएदेखि आ.व.२०८२/८३ सम्म) National Planning Commissionराष्ट्रिय योजना आयोग राष्ट्रिय गौरवका आयोजनाको समष्टिगत प्रगति विवरण, PDF p.2, (ख) row २, column 'राष्ट्रिय गौरवका आयोजना नाम'

What could we not establish?

• Start year conflicts (2073/74 NPC progress vs 2074/75 OAG/NPC brief).
• Final cost: 2,534 crore (NPC brief) vs 2,458 crore spent (OAG) vs 2,175.65 crore cumulative expenditure (NPC progress, financial progress 92.10%).
• Runway length/terminal capacity not found in an official source checked so far (CAAN international airports page lists only name and location).
• Funding source/lender not identified from an official Nepali source checked so far.
• CAAN's airport-specific statistics for international operations beyond OAG's FY 2081/82 figure not found.