Kathmandu, Dec. 31 -- Private airlines on Tuesday urged the government to rush the delayed process of splitting the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal into two entities to avoid hurting the aviation sector.

The plan to break up the civil aviation body into regulator and service provider has dragged on for nine years as the government struggles to finalise a draft Civil Aviation Bill amid bureaucratic setbacks every step of the way.

The latest roadblock is a threat from an employees union of the Civil Aviation Authority that the government would face consequences if it moved to split the aviation body.

The draft legislation has already been submitted to the Legislative Committee of the cabinet seeking approval to register it in Parliamen...