Road to Makkah initiative to prove successful: CAA DG

Pilgrims to get immigration, health formalities cleared at IIA; airport managers told to prepare for Hajj operation

 

Airport managers across Pakistan have been directed to ensure trouble-free departure and arrival of pilgrims during Hajj operation.

Secretary Aviation, Civil Aviation Authority Director General Shahrukh Nusrat directed that all arrangements be made in a befitting manner for the Hajj operation commencing from July 5.

He was chairing a conference of the Airport Managers (APMs) and Chief Operating Officers (COOs) of major airports at Islamabad International Airport the other day.

He issued directives that all-out efforts be made to facilitate pilgrims and ensure that they do not face any problem while travelling to the holy land by providing support and assistance.

He directed management of Islamabad Airport to ensure success of the landmark Road to Makkah initiative.

The Road to Makkah project will help cut travelling time of passengers by completing immigration and health formalities at local airports instead of in Saudi Arabia.

Based on its results the Road to Makkah process will be extended to other airports of Pakistan as well.

Nusrat said the APM conference was being revived after a gap of more than two years with the purpose to bring all airport managers on the same page with regard to day to day issues being faced at airports and to align their resolve for the betterment of aviation sector in Pakistan.

The conference was attended by the airport managers of Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad and Multan airports.

Nusrat reviewed the steps being taken at all airports for 24/7 clean airport concept with special emphasis on washrooms and provision of maximum facilitation, convenience, comfort and friendly atmosphere to all incoming and outgoing passengers.

He instructed CAA to lend helping hand focusing on facilitation of passengers. He emphasised all APMs to develop and ensure smooth functional atmosphere with other agencies operating at CAA airports.

Nusrat emphasized that APMs being functional heads should ensure optimum performance of all airport stakeholders in line with their assigned mandates and instructed APMs to adopt zero-tolerance policy with regard to miscreants and exploitation of passengers at airports.

He further stressed upon the need of taking strict measures to curb all un-authorized activities of porters, loaders and other unwanted elements at the airports. He instructed that culprits be identified and apprehended and all necessary measures be taken to eradicate their presence at CAA airports. Secretary Aviation/DGCAA also called for pro-active functioning of One Window Facilitation Desk (OWFD) established at the major airports to resolve the problems of passengers on the spot.

Nusrat issued instructions that all possible procurements at airports should be of Made-in-Pakistan without comprising on quality.

Nusrat instructed to further expand the Clean Green Pakistan campaign at PCAA airports keeping all its featured components in mind. He especially directed APMs to adopt smart energy and water conservation solutions at airports without compromising on standards.

In the end, Secretary Aviation/DGCAA declared that meeting of this particular forum shall be convened on monthly basis to review progress on the directives and for the purpose of further improvement.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 30^th, 2019.