Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Badri Pandey, has announced that a proposal to form a high-level investigation committee to examine past air accidents has been submitted to the Council of Ministers. Additionally, a bill to separate regulatory and service provider bodies within civil aviation has also been presented to the cabinet.
Speaking at an interaction program with journalists on Monday at the ministry, Minister Pandey revealed that the proposal to establish the high-level investigation committee, chaired by a former high court judge, has been forwarded to the Council of Ministers.
“The matter of air accidents has now reached the cabinet. A high-level investigation committee led by a former high court judge is being formed,” he stated. “The bill to separate the regulatory and service provider bodies in civil aviation has passed through the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Law and is now with the Cabinet’s Legislative Committee.”
Minister Pandey also provided updates on ongoing work at the inter-ministerial level for the operation of Bhairahawa and Pokhara airports.
He further explained that the proposed investigation committee will take previous task force reports on air accidents as reference points for its work, expressing confidence that the study’s recommendations would be implemented.
Minister Pandey mentioned that the issue of air accidents had been tabled in parliament as a public interest proposal and had already been discussed. He emphasized that institutional and structural reforms were being undertaken within the ministry and its subordinate bodies to enhance the sector’s safety and efficiency.
