Govt plans Rs44b overhaul of major airports

In light of attacks on airports in Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta,govt to enhance security, at the cost of Rs400 million

ISLAMABAD:

The government is planning a massive Rs44 billion overhaul of major airports over the next two years as part of its new aviation policy announced earlier this year.

According to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) documents, available with The Express Tribune, the much overdue short and medium term projects will help renovate infrastructure, upgrade facilities and equipment as well as enhance security at major airports.

While the documents do not provide specific project details or disclose the source of funding for most of the projects, they outline timelines to complete them, with most slated to be completed over the next two years.

In Quetta, a project worth Rs1.6 billion has been earmarked to upgrade the terminal building at Quetta airport during the ongoing fiscal year. Work on new passenger bridges, concourse hall and allied facilities are expected to start by the end of September.

Simultaneously, a Rs2 billion revamp of the terminal building and other amenities at Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar is expected to commence in October. Further, a CAT- I instrument landing system (ILS) is being installed at the airport



Lahore airport is racing against time to complete installation of a new ILS, the US $25 million CAT-3 B -- gifted by Qatar. The civil aviation hopes to have the system in place before the winter fog rolls in which virtually shut the airport down last year.

While the ILS at Karachi airport has already been upgraded, the CAA plans to replace old radars with new ones at both Karachi and Lahore airports by December next year at a cost of Rs1.5 billion

The CAA also plans to replace 23 year-old aerobridges at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. The 12 aerobridges at the airport had been installed in 1992. Under the Rs1.6 billion project, all of the boarding bridges will be replaced with state of the art concourses manufactured by Spanish engineering firm Adelte by October 2016.

The government has also decided to enhance facilities at the new Islamabad airport, whose construction is expected to be completed by 2016. The CAA is planning to increase the number of boarding bridges from the nine planned to 15. Further, instead of the CAT-2 ILS system, it will install the more advanced CAT-3/B ILS at the new airport.

With the new international airport in Multan, inaugurated in March this year, attracting attention from six foreign carriers, the CAA plans to install two more boarding bridges by December this year.

In light of attacks on airports in Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta, the government has decided to enhance security at the airports through an integrated system at a cost of Rs400 million. The CAA will also purchase armoured personnel carriers (APC) worth Rs500 million for all major airports.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2015.