New Islamabad International Airport will be first-ever green-field airport of Pakistan
ISLAMABAD – Islamabad’s all new and much-awaited airport would be fully operational by the end of 2016, said Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Aviation Shujaat Azeem.
Pakistan government has evolved an aviation policy with massive changes especially in infrastructure, he informed. About nine billion passengers would be facilitated through this international airport.
Mr. Shujaat said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif directed for up gradation of all airports and also visited this airport and directed to construct 15 aero-bridges instead of nine. Aero-bridges, radar, baggage handling, ATC towers, restrooms construction have been put on fast track, he added.
Meanwhile, the government is considering to start cargo operation first to pave the way for launch of the first-ever greenfield airport, New Islamabad International Airport (NIIA).
Government has directed the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to speed up completion of civil, mechanical and electrical work of the airport this year.
Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms, Ahsan Iqbal has already directed in a recently held high level meeting to ensure provision of quality commercial activities in new airport because commercial facilities have become critical at modern airports. He suggested for provision of international standards shopping arcades, cafes, restaurants facilities in new airport to attract transit passengers.
Shujat Azeem said that National Highway Authority (NHA) has started work on access roads for alternate use in case of anyblockade.
The airport will have 90 check-in counters and a parking facility for 2,000 vehicles to cater to 10 million people every year in its first phase. A covered plaza area for 200 cars, a control tower, maintenance hangar, a 15-gate terminal with ten remote gates, a four star hotel, convention centre, duty-free shops, food court and 42 immigration counters will be part of the new airport.
The idea of Islamabad’s new airport project was conceived in 1984 after acquisition of land near Fateh Jang, however the project couldn’t be started and was repeatedly postponed till 2005.
The new Airport is a joint project of Capital Development Authority (CDA), National Highway Authority (NHA) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and designed by French company Aéroports de Paris Ingenierie (ADPi) and CPG Corporation of Singapore.
Courtesy: Islamabad Scene