New Islamabad Airport Progress Report and Completion Date
New Islamabad Airport project has been in the news for quite a long while, however things have been quite obscure due to a number of factors including mismanagement, corruption and incompetence of the team. This overall situation caused delays and escalation of project cost, however there seems to be some good news in the offing after the project briefings in recent session of senate standing committee.
Earlier it was named Gandhara International Airport, then it was renamed to Benazir Bhutto International Airport, then again its name was changed to Liaquat Ali Khan International Airport, and now finally after the sad demise of the great philanthropist Mr. Abdul Sattar Edhi Sahb, it is being renamed as Edhi International Airport.
Here are some important dates to note:
- Kashmir Highway Extension has started and it is scheduled to be ready by December 2016.
- Airport Work will be completed by December 2016.
- Airport will start commercial flight operations on 14th August 2017.
Earlier we didn’t see any significant signs of progress on road networks, however it is quite visible now. Toll plaza has been removed from Kashmir Highway and shifted to Motorway M-1 & M-2. Also, work on Kashmir Highway is going on at full swing which indicates that the authorities are finally going to accomplish their goals this time without any further delays.
Visible signs of progress is attracting a host of investors who were earlier thinking to put their money away in Zone 4 and 5, however much sale purchase activity has again started especially in Top City-1, Mumtaz City, Faisal Town, F-17, E-17, D-17, D-18 and B-17. The potential of this investment was already known and fears of further delays are also vanishing as the Government, NHA and CAA are working towards completion of this mega project.
Sources:
http://www.dawn.com/news/1257635
http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2016/05/06/city/islamabad/new-islamabad-airport-to-be-operational-by-july-2017-pac-told/
http://dunyanews.tv/en/SpecialReport/320821-New-Islamabad-International-Airport
http://tribune.com.pk/story/1125986/new-islamabad-airport-rs3-billion-allocated-road-network/
http://www.zameen.com/news/nha-removes-hurdles-in-the-construction-of-new-airports-link-road.html
The reality of New Islamabad Airport
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE > PAKISTAN
Another day, another deadline for new Islamabad airport
By Danish Hussain / Vaqas Asghar
Published: August 11, 2016
ISLAMABAD: Already five years behind schedule, completion of the new Islamabad airport has officially been delayed even further.
The new Islamabad airport has become the latest in the list of projects which, it appears, will not be completed anytime soon.
Meanwhile, a source working on the site called the new completion date “laughable”, recalling a conversation he had with The Express Tribune in the summer of 2014, when he had said the airport would take at least five years to complete if everything is smooth sailing from here onwards. “It hasn’t been smooth sailing,” he added. Groundbreaking of the project was performed in April 2007. At the time it was announced that it would be completed within four years — or 2011.
The contractors cited flaws in the runway, which he said had not been resolved in nine years.
A CAA source referred to the difficulty in resolving issues with access routes and utilities, while also referring to the fact that those found guilty of graft, incompetence, embezzlement, and illegal subcontracting in various inquiries have escaped punishment. “People want to be posted there to go on looting sprees”, he said.
New islamabad airport: Meinhardt says it is not part of project
At least 17 different contractors are working on the airport, while the CAA had acquired 3,289 acres for Rs950 million for the project.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 11th, 2016.