Revolutionising Air Travel: New Gwadar Int’l Airport Set to Soar by 2023
The cutting-edge Gwadar International Airport (NGIA), a greenfield airport with a budget of $246 million, is poised to become operational by September 2023. Spearheading this venture, the passenger terminal building is on track for completion by June 2023, with air traffic control facilities set to be in place by March 2023. The airport's comprehensive construction is slated for conclusion before September 2023.
P.c. Moosa Karim
Managed and operated by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) represents a joint venture between Pakistan, Oman, and China, designed to facilitate both domestic and international flights. This airport development plays a pivotal role in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative, a key component of China's One Belt One Road (OBOR) vision.
Set to be Pakistan's largest airport, NGIA will also be the nation's second airport capable of accommodating A380 aircraft, beginning in 2022. It is poised to drive growth in the Gwadar peninsula and foster increased trade between Pakistan and China.
Operated under an open sky policy and overseen by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), the New Gwadar International Airport project was initiated in 2014 as a high-priority project within the CPEC program. Approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in January 2015, the project secured funding through a grant agreement signed between China and Pakistan in May 2017. Soil testing commenced in January 2018, involving the drilling of 300 boreholes at various locations, culminating in a groundbreaking ceremony in March 2019.