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Fuel service has been launched at Bharatpur Airport in Chitwan. Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) began fuel ‘refilling’ service from Wednesday.

Executive Director Dr Chandika Prasad Bhatt said that as air traffic to and from Bharatpur has increased, a refilling counter has been brought into operation. He stated that the service was launched to ensure passengers do not face inconvenience due to aviation fuel shortages.

He said that currently eight flights operate daily from the airport and that arrangements have been made to provide aviation fuel as required.

According to the NOC’s spokesperson Manoj Kumar Thakur, two refilling counters have been installed at Bharatpur, from where up to 22,000 liters of aviation fuel can be supplied daily. For now, the service has been started through six staff members from the corporation’s Sinamangal office.

At present, daily flights operate on the Bharatpur–Kathmandu–Bharatpur route and partially on the Bharatpur–Pokhara–Bharatpur route.

Buddha Air Station Manager Bhakta Bahadur Basnet said that with the establishment of the refilling counter, it has become easier for both passengers and aircraft.

“Now aircraft will not have to carry fuel from elsewhere, which means planes arriving from Kathmandu will be able to bring additional passengers,” he said.