Delay in capital’s new airport construction to raise cost to Rs 100b

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The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday adjourned hearing in the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) case regarding the delay in the construction of New Islamabad International Airport. The case was heard by a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary, Justice Jawad S Khawaja and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed. During the course of proceedings, counsels for different construction companies involved in the construction of the airport appeared before the court and submitted their replies. Most of the counsels for the companies were of the view that the delay in the construction of new airport was not due to them. However, the bench observed that there was a dire need to complete the construction of airport as the cost of the airport was rising with every passing day. The bench also observed that the airport was due to be completed by December 2012 which would now be completed in June 2015. The bench was informed that the initial cost of the airport was Rs 37 billion which has risen to Rs 87 billion and if not completed by 2015, the cost would cross Rs 100 billion. The court adjourned further hearing of the case till September 11 (today).