Groundwork Complete: Gwadar Airport Construction Set for April Kickoff
The groundwork for the Gwadar International Airport, spanning 4,300 acres and with a budget of $246 million, has been successfully completed. Both Pakistani and Chinese authorities are actively finalizing the details for commencing construction in April this year, as disclosed by sources to The News.
P.c. The News International
The Joint Coordination Committee (JCC), consisting of Pakistani and Chinese officials, aims to kickstart the Gwadar Airport project in March. This follows the completion, review, and approval of the feasibility study by relevant authorities.
The official records indicate that the project's design and work plan have received approval, and construction is set to commence in the first quarter of 2019. Soil testing, involving 300 boreholes at various locations, was concluded after commencing in January 2018.
Notably, the New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA), to be executed by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), is unique among CPEC projects in Gwadar, as it is financed by a Chinese grant, not a loan. The grant agreement was signed in May 2017, and NGIA is designed to accommodate aircraft like the ATR 72, Boeing B-737, and Boeing B-747.
Projected to be Pakistan's largest airport, the Gwadar Airport's vast expanse of 4,300 acres surpasses other major airports like Karachi (3,700 acres), Islamabad (3,600 acres), and Lahore (2,800 acres).
Sources suggest that the Pakistani government is poised to announce the formal initiation of work on Gwadar International Airport within the next two weeks, with funding in alignment with the mutual agreement between Pakistan and China. The airport is an integral component of the Gwadar Master Plan, contributing to the transformation of the region into a thriving economic hub, alongside other multi-billion-dollar projects.