Seeing as how so much bad news has been coming out of the country, I thought this might cheer things up.. A brand spanking new Airport, which seems to finally be ready to start (I hope)…
I believe the plans have been drawn up, but the design is still confidential.. I believe its being done by a company in Singapore.
The Airport will be a proud new addition to the country and will generate jobs, and investment if handled properly…
Might I suggest it be callled Fatimah Jinnah International!
Country to have first green-field airport: Islamabad to become aviation hub
By Baqir Sajjad Syed
ISLAMABAD, April 4: Islamabad is set to get a spanking new airport that will make an inspiring statement about modern Pakistan ready to become a major regional aviation hub.
Once constructed, its planners say, the airport would be an architectural landmark with its own signature.
The country’s first green-field airport, with its passenger- friendly service facilities will be, according to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the most modern and the biggest in the country — quite distinct from the cramped and outdated structure that people have so far been using.
The latest technology with which the airport is planned to be equipped would even set it apart from other airports in the country.
The ground-breaking ceremony of the “distinctive icon”, being planned to come up as a aviation hub, would be performed by President Pervez Musharraf on April 7 (Saturday).
The Rs35 billion airport being constructed at Pind Ranjha is expected to be ready for operations by 2011-12. It would replace the overloaded and un-expandable Islamabad International Airport in Chaklala.
Talking to Dawn, CAA Director-General Farooq Rehmatullah said, we are aiming at constructing ‘the best of airports’. “For this we have put together the best possible team comprising top designers and infrastructure developers,” he added.
Explaining the significance of the project, Mr Rehmatullah said: “It is very important and in conformity with our upcoming aviation policy that envisages setting up of a hub for Central Asian states connecting them to the West and Far East.”
Once completed, he said, the airport would provide enormous savings to the airlines.
Almost 3,700 acres have been acquired for the project, 2,000 acres of which have been earmarked for aviation-related activities including two runways, parking bays, control tower, terminal building, aprons, hangars, spaces for airline operations and other allied services.
The remaining land would be used for commercial purposes like car parking, four star hotel, air malls, duty free shops, business centre, food courts, international convention centre, shopping plaza, multi-storied housing projects, cargo village and other ventures.
Mr Rehmatullah, who avoided disclosing the exact details of the project because he had to give a briefing to President Musharraf, said lakes and lagoons were also planned.
The new airport will have a modular design to handle 6.5 million passengers per annum and 100,000 metric tons cargo per annum. It has been designed to meet the needs of the next 100 years.
The site located near Fatehjang is approximately 30kms from Zero Point (Islamabad) and 23kms from Saddar (Rawalpindi). The planners say passengers may take ‘20-25 minutes’ to reach the airport through a network of motorways and highways — something only possible if one is not held up by the massive traffic jams that have become a feature of the twin cities.
The entire financing of the project is being done by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
CONSTRUCTION: The project comprises two phases and would be completed in four years. Contract for the first phase of 18 months involving ground levelling and compaction has already been given and would be completed at a cost of Rs1.5 billion. The second phase covering the construction of terminal and other infrastructure, would commence in June 2008.
EMPLOYMENT: The project would generate jobs for some 2,500 people.
OUTSTANDING ISSUES: The biggest criticism coming in the way of this project is that it is being undertaken without carrying out the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), a mandatory requirement for all public and private sector projects.
The CAA director-general thinks EIA is not required. “We are not setting up any industry or pouring out effluents and would not be having any impact.”
Secondly, the issue of jurisdiction and inclusion of the site in the federal capital still stands undecided. Project Director Masood Salam says for the time being the site is partly in Attock and Rawalpindi districts.
He said there was no concrete proposal for inclusion of the airport in the federal capital territory except for some informal discussions.
NAME: The name for New Islamabad International Airport has not been finalised as yet. Mr Rehmatullah said it was for the defence ministry to propose a name for the new airport to the government. But, so far, he said, it had not been done according to his knowledge.
He, however, indicated that the name may be derived from the architectural aspects of the airport. The airport’s architecture would be a blend of local and modern architecture of the area. Another proposed name is Liaquat Ali Khan Airport in memory of the country’s first prime minister who was shot dead in Rawalpindi’s Liaquat Bagh.
INCREASE IN COST: Delays in initiation of project resulted in huge increase in its cost. Comparing the cost of the project with the estimates prepared almost a year back showed that it has almost doubled from Rs18 billion to Rs35 billion.
The CAA says these delays were because of problems in taking over the land, most of which had been acquired in the mid and late eighties.
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