Airport contract for Indian firm stayed

Nepal’s Supreme Court has stayed a so-called ‘bid’ by the government to handover management and up-gradation of the Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu to an Indian firm.

Updated on: Jul 31, 2012, 24:25:49 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Nepal’s Supreme Court has

stayed

a so-called ‘bid’ by the government to handover management and up-gradation of the Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu to an Indian firm.

A division bench of the court held Nepal Investment Board, a government body, didn’t follow procedures while inviting expression of interest (EoI) from Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS).

The government, however, maintains no MoU has been signed with the Indian firm and the NIB had only asked IL&FS to submit a formal proposal after it had expressed interest in the project.

Following reports that the government is planning to handover TIA to the Indian company, three advocates had filed a writ petition in SC seeking a stay on the “anti-national” and “illegal” move.

The decision of the bench was not unanimous with two judges approving the stay, but Justice Ram Kumar Shah held that there was no violation of law as there was nothing to prove that a MoU had been signed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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