Expanding the Aviation Sector

The PCAA signs an agreement to upgrade, expand, and construct various terminal buildings and airside facilities

Lahore: Pakistan has decided to expand its aviation industry in order to capitalise on the potential of becoming a new aviation hub, according to reports.

Following the government’s policy, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has decided to exploit the aviation sector through a variety of initiatives. As per a senior CAA official, an agreement has been reached to upgrade and expand Begum Nusrat Bhutto (BNB) Sukkur Airport, upgrade and expand the passenger terminal at Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore, and construct an aviation tower in Islamabad.

National Engineering Services Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd. (NESPAK), Pakistan’s premier consulting firm, has been hired for this purpose.

In light of the Government of Pakistan’s current policy of expanding its aviation industry, the PCAA has assigned NESPAK to mega development projects in the sector.

A signing ceremony for a consultancy contract was held at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore, according to a senior PCAA official. Federal Minister of Aviation Khawaja Saad Rafiq, PCAA Director General Khaqan Murtaza, and NESPAK Managing Director Dr. Tahir Masood were also present on the occasion.

As per the memorandum of understanding (MoU), Begum Nusrat Bhutto (BNB) Sukkur Airport will be upgraded and expanded to serve as an international airport for wide-body aircrafts, complete with all necessary facilities.

Similarly, the passenger terminal building and allied infrastructure facilities at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore, will also be upgraded and expanded. In addition, an aviation tower will be built in Islamabad.

Following the signing of the MoU, MD NESPAK Dr Tahir Masood briefed the Aviation Minister on the status of the BNB Sukkur Airport project.

While briefing the Federal Minister, Dr. Tahir Masood presented salient features of the expansion plan, including the extension of the runway and taxiway, reconstruction of the apron and terminal building, and other allied and support facilities.

The new terminal building and airside facilities, according to DG NESPAK, shall cater to the requirements of Code E aircraft (Boeing 777) for the next 20 years.

“In addition to connecting the population of the area to international destinations, the airport will also cater to the requirement of exporting local handicrafts and fresh vegetables and fruits to nearby Middle Eastern countries,” Dr. Tahir Masood added.

A spokesman for NESPAK told Bol News that the organisation will provide design and construction supervision for the mega-three projects.

He stated that the Sukkur airport project will take three years, with six months for design and the remaining two and a half years for construction supervision.

“We will handle the design and construction supervision,” the spokesman said, adding that the tenure for the aviation tower and the Allama Iqbal airport project will be decided after the feasibility study is completed.

The Federal Minister for Aviation praised NESPAK’s efforts and directed both the PCAA and NESPAK to complete the planning, design, and bidding phases within six months in order to complete construction activities within the estimated timeframe of the next 24 months.

The PCAA, according to a senior official, also plans to construct a 38-story high-rise office and commercial tower on Jinnah Avenue in Blue Area Islamabad.

He went on to say that the PCAA Tower, which will be the tallest building in Islamabad, will be an iconic structure with 38-stories and state-of-the-art facilities.

The PCAA’s various directorates and branches, as well as airline corporate offices, airline booking centres, business centres, seminar and conference halls, media centres, financial institutes and banks, and recreational facilities such as an aviation science museum, an art gallery, a health and fitness centre, indoor sports facilities, a baby daycare centre, food courts, and hotel and lodging facilities, will be housed in the new tower.

The building, which will house the offices of the PCAA’s various cadres, will have a covered area of approximately 850,000 square feet and an estimated project cost of Rs 14 billion.

As a green building project, the PCAA Tower aims for sustainability, water conservation, energy efficiency, and an environmentally friendly design with a lower carbon footprint.