PM directs completion of New Islamabad Airport by March 31, 2015
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif visited the under-construction NewIslamabadInternationalAirport to review the progress of work on the project.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed and Special Assistant to Prime Minister Shujahat Azeem were also present at the occasion. The Aviation Division secretary and Civil Aviation Authority DG briefed the prime minister.
The PM directed Civil Aviation Authority to complete the project by March 31, 2015.
“I don’t want any further delays in completion of the project”, the PM added.
He directed to fast track the completion process with variations to be carried out simultaneously.
The prime minister said that airport has to cater for future extensions and traffic hence the future needs should be kept in view in execution of the project. He directed to install a dedicated power plant to ensure regular power supply to the airport. He said that latest package handling system should be installed at the airport. He said that in order to ensure water supply, water from small dams to be built by the Punjab government be provided to the airport.
Nawaz was told that the project was conceived in 1994 but ground breaking was done in 2007. He was informed that 98 percent of civil works and hydrant refuelling system is completed. He was told that 55 percent of work on ATC has also been completed. The prime minister enquired about reasons of delay and cost over runs and directed for investigation of the matter. He was told that the existing monitoring system has been strengthened.
Earlier, prime minister visited different sections and areas of under construction airport. He was also shown the halls containing shopping areas. The prime minister also inspected runway, domestic and international, arrival and departure halls.
On the occasion, prime minister was told that the airport will cater for 15 million passengers in a year. It will have 15 boarding bridges and will be able to handle 400,000 metric tons of cargo.