This creature also called as ‘abominable snowman’ is believed to be frequently seen in high icy mountain valleys of Nepal. Though its existence is still to be scientifically proved, Yeti is said to frequent the Himalayan region covering Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet.

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This system called Mode S Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar (MSSR) stands far beyond the primary and secondary surveillance radar at the Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), in terms of efficiency and advancement.

With this system in place, now Nepal’s ATC department can track any aircraft flying in Nepal’s air zone, the entire Himalayan region and parts of Indian airspace, along with safety and efficiency in areas that lacked radar coverage so far. 

 “The MSSR coverage will be extended to the entire eastern, southern and Himalaya regions, and up to Surkhet (250 nautical miles or 463 km) in the west,” says Sanjiv Singh Kathayat, Chief of the Project.

Following an inspection by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Bombardier Challenger 600 Jet on November 20, 2017, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) is planning to resume commercial operation of the new radar system on February 1, 2018.  

Efficiency and Accuracy Need of the Hour

The existing surveillance system at TIA was built in 1997 with the Japanese assistance, following two major crashes in 1992 that raised the need for air surveillance systems.

“As TIA is situated in a valley surrounded by hills, the coverage of the existing radar does not extend beyond 50 nautical miles (90 km),” says Kathayat.

Despite Nepal’s dramatic growth in domestic and international air traffic, greater efficiency and accuracy remain a challenge for the country’s ATC officials.

Kathayat was hopeful that the new next-generation RADAR system would provide increased efficiency and enhanced surveillance. Allowing the visibility of almost all air routes across Nepal, the new radar system will make the ATC’s job easier, he adds.

According to Kathayat, radar surveillance of the new system will grow five-fold after it is resumed for commercial operations on February 1, 2018.

He further informed that more than 40 air traffic controllers have been trained on operating the new radar system, which also address the key problem of congestion at airports.

FAA’s detailed report is expected in another 15 days and the total process of completion would take 57 days, Kathayat informed.

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The UNDP Nepal Country Director Renaud Meyer and HCI Founder Laurence Brahm signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in this regard at an event held at Patan Museum on November 14, 2017.

The agreement majorly focuses on crisis and conflict mitigation in the Himalayan region that is the most vulnerable to climate change.

The deal also focuses on development of early warning systems to assist governments and communities at times of any disasters in the country.

This pilot project in Nepal is being considered as a model for the implementation of similar conflict programs towards conflict prevention and mitigation across other countries that are vulnerable to climate change.

“The new facility that we plan to put in place will help the Government and people of Nepal take informed decisions, better prepare for climate-induced and other kind of disasters and respond to crisis more systematically,” noted Renaud Meyer.

Meanwhile, Laurence Brahm, Founder of HCI says, “This initiative has the potential for far-reaching impact beyond the borders of Nepal. It is envisioned that similar programs could be adopted across the developing world in an effort to address conflict at its root cause rather than its effect.”

The next Himalayan Consensus Summit (HCS), scheduled to be held during March 23-25, 2018 is expected to offer another milestone for this partnership, informed UNDP official’s release.

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