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Pre-bid meeting on construction of new Islamabad airport today

KARACHI: Pre-bid conference to initiate construction of the much-awaited new Islamabad International Airport on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis will be held here Monday.

The Director General Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Air Marshal Aliuddin would chair the meeting at CAA headquarters.

According to CAA sources, eight pre-qualified international firms and consortia were participating in this conference to discuss various aspects of the bid including government assurances/guarantees as well as concessions in duties and taxes.

The participating bidders have already been asked to submit bids within three months, the sources said.

The expected date in this regard will also be finalised in the conference.

Meanwhile, CAA had acquired 3,200 acres of land in Pind Ranjha near Tarnol which is only five kilometres away from Islamabad. The cost of the project is estimated to be US $ 300 million and it is scheduled to be completed within 30 to 36 months.

BOT operators might exploit commercial ventures available at the airport premises as well as collect the route navigational and over-flying revenues for new Islamabad International Airport.

The project when completed would facilitate over 6.5 million passengers annually.

Other allied facilities would include provision for handling most of jet aircraft.

Right now, Islamabad International Airport is located in the centre of Rawalpindi city and is heavily congested in terms of space and also because it is being used jointly by the CAA for civil operations and the airforce for C-130 operations.

Since there was no scope for further development of this airport the CAA had to acquire fresh land to build new airport to meet future air traffic requirements of the country.

This airport when completed would become a gateway to China as well as Central Asian Republics (CARs) besides catering for the growing demands of domestic and international air traffic. APP