New Islamabad International Airport
Encyclopedia
The New Islamabad International Airport is a 3600 acres (1,456.9 ha) international airport that is being built to serve the twin cites of Islamabad
and Rawalpindi
and the adjoining provinces of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is located in Fateh Jang Tehsil
of Attock District
, which is 30 km southwest of Islamabad Capital Territory
. This airport will replace the existing one, Benazir Bhutto International Airport
located in Chaklala. Construction began in April 2007 and it is expected to be completed and operational by 2012-2013. It will then take all the commercial flights that are currently operating out of the Benazir Bhutto International Airport.
(CAA) announced on January 7, 2005 the first-ever green-field airport would be built in Islamabad at a cost of $300 million. The contract signing ceremony was held at the CAA headquarters at Jinnah International Airport
, Karachi
. Pervez Akhtar Nawaz, (Director General CAA, Air Marshal) signed an agreement with a renowned international consultant, The Louis Berger Group
of USA in association with Pakistani consulting firm ECIL, to undertake project management services. While the first contract for Project Management Services is signed, the CAA is close to receiving bids and proposals from international design consultants and signature architects for design of the new airport. It is envisaged that the Design Consultants will commence their services by the end of March 2006. Soon after the mobilization of the Project Management Consultants, other processes for invitation of bids and award of construction contracts will be initiated. It is anticipated that the new facility will become operational by June 30, 2013. The new airport site is located on 3200 acres (1,295 ha) of land, acquired by CAA in 1980s at Pind Ranjha
near Fateh Jang
, some 20 km from Zero Point, Islamabad
and 23 km from Saddar
, Rawalpindi
involving driving time of only 20–25 minutes through network of motorways and highways. The airport will be developed at par with international standards to serve as major hub for all aviation activities in the region.
Estimated to cost about $400 million, the new airport facility, which is the first green-field airport in Pakistan, shall comprise a contemporary state-of-the-art passenger terminal building, control tower, runway with a provision of a secondary runway, taxiways, apron, cargo complex, and hangar together with all the necessary infrastructure and ancillary facilities. It would cater to the requirements of latest generation of modern passenger aircraft. The new airport will have a modular design to handle 6.5 million passengers per annum and 80,000 metric tonnes cargo per annum. Being a new airport, a significant portion of the land has been earmarked for commercial purposes such as duty-free shops, hotel and convention centre, air malls, business centre, food courts, leisure and recreational facilities. The new airport is envisaged to be a modern landmark structure symbolic to represent twenty-first century Pakistan, as it will be the diplomatic and business gateway to Pakistan through the Capital City of Islamabad. The CAA has announced that the new airport is to be named "Gandhara International Airport" after the ancient Buddhist kingdom.
President Musharraf has laid the foundation stone of the project on April 7, 2007. This Airport is the largest and most modern Airport in Pakistan. Its total area is 3700 acres (1,497.3 ha). It will be completed within four years (June 30, 2013). The construction work has started. It will be completed in two Phases. Work on 1st phase has started & will be completed in about one year. The official said that through a letter, the Ministry of Defence has requested the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to include the area where the new airport will be situated in the capital territory and issue a notification to this effect at the earliest possible time.
Brigadier (r) Masood Salam, Project Director of the New Islamabad Airport was gunned down in mysterious circumstances in his site office in Pind Ranjha at Fateh Jang Road, police said. However, this tragic news has not stopped the development of the airport and the new airport is entering its second phase of construction. French company Aéroports de Paris Ingenierie (ADPi) and CPG Corporation
(www.cpgcorp.com.sg) of Singapore have been selected for designing the airport infrastructure and terminal building of NIIA. The project was worked out through three different levels namely concept designing, primary and final designing..
The first phase of the project of the Gandhara International airport was completed in 2008 within 1 year of foundation stone being laid and the project will be completed within 3 years. http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=129827
The Islamabad International airport will be completed by June 30, 2013. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\06\27\story_27-6-2009_pg11_4
There will also be a cargo complex capable of handling 100,000t a year, four rapid-exit taxiways, a special parking area for hijacked aircraft, apron parking sufficient for the contact stands, underground cable network, parking for ground handling vehicles, secure cargo areas and major airport road infrastructure.
The terminal will also make full use of traditional Islamic geometric patterns in its design. The modular terminal building will have a linear pier on each side and a centre pier extending out to serve the boarding gates. The international and domestic halls will be located together under the main roof, which will be a simple trapezoid cantilevered from one of the two side piers with a cantilevered mesh screen trellis defining the exposed roof edge and attaching to a row of columns close to the ground.
(design started in March 2006).
The project management consultants for the new airport are Louis Berger Group of the US along with ECIL (Engineering Consultants International Ltd) of Pakistan.
The first phase of the construction (airside infrastructure including runways) is being undertaken over a 24-month contract for PKR11.8bn by Lagan Construction of the Republic of Ireland (60% of the work) and their local partners Husnain Cotex (40% of the work). Husnain Cotex and IKAN have also formed a joint venture to carry out the preliminary works at the airport site including earthworks and construction of embankments for the runway and main access road to the site. The Air side and Land-side work are being carried out by Joint Venture of Lagan Construction of Ireland, Technical Aaaociate and Habib Construction Services Pvt. Ltd.
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
and Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
and the adjoining provinces of the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is located in Fateh Jang Tehsil
Fateh Jang Tehsil
Fateh Jang Tehsil is an administrative subdivision , of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The tehsil is administratively subdivided into 14 Union Councils...
of Attock District
Attock District
Attock District is a district in the north-west Punjab Province of Pakistan.The district was created in April 1904 by the merger of Talagang Tehsil in the Jhelum District with the Pindigheb, Fatehjang and Attock tehsils from Rawalpindi District of the Punjab province of British India.Attock...
, which is 30 km southwest of Islamabad Capital Territory
Islamabad Capital Territory
The Islamabad Capital Territory is one of the two federal territories of Pakistan. It includes Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan, and covers an area of 1,165.5 km² of which 906 km² is Islamabad proper...
. This airport will replace the existing one, Benazir Bhutto International Airport
Benazir Bhutto International Airport
Benazir Bhutto International Airport بینظیر بھٹّو بین الاقوامی ہوائی اڈہ is the third-largest airport in Pakistan, serving the capital Islamabad and its twin city Rawalpindi in the province of Punjab...
located in Chaklala. Construction began in April 2007 and it is expected to be completed and operational by 2012-2013. It will then take all the commercial flights that are currently operating out of the Benazir Bhutto International Airport.
History
The Civil Aviation AuthorityPakistan Civil Aviation Authority
Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority is a regulatory authority, which oversees and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in Pakistan. Nearly all civilian airports in Pakistan are owned and operated by the CAA...
(CAA) announced on January 7, 2005 the first-ever green-field airport would be built in Islamabad at a cost of $300 million. The contract signing ceremony was held at the CAA headquarters at Jinnah International Airport
Jinnah International Airport
Jinnah International Airport is Pakistan's largest international and domestic airport. It is located in Karachi, Pakistan, and its passenger terminal is also commonly known as the جناح ٹرمینل Jinnah Terminal...
, Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
. Pervez Akhtar Nawaz, (Director General CAA, Air Marshal) signed an agreement with a renowned international consultant, The Louis Berger Group
Louis Berger Group
The Louis Berger Group, based in Morristown, NJ, according to their website:The Louis Berger Group currently ranks as the third largest USAID private sector partner....
of USA in association with Pakistani consulting firm ECIL, to undertake project management services. While the first contract for Project Management Services is signed, the CAA is close to receiving bids and proposals from international design consultants and signature architects for design of the new airport. It is envisaged that the Design Consultants will commence their services by the end of March 2006. Soon after the mobilization of the Project Management Consultants, other processes for invitation of bids and award of construction contracts will be initiated. It is anticipated that the new facility will become operational by June 30, 2013. The new airport site is located on 3200 acres (1,295 ha) of land, acquired by CAA in 1980s at Pind Ranjha
Pind Ranjha
Pind Ranjha' name 'Takht HazaraA village of RANJHA is located in district Sargodha.its 30 kilometers from motorway interchange 'Kot Momin' there are still some memorable his houses and some other things.and his beloved 'HEER' belongs from Sial family from District Jhang....
near Fateh Jang
Fateh Jang
Fateh Jang is a town and the tehsil headquarters of Attock District in the Punjab province of Pakistan...
, some 20 km from Zero Point, Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
and 23 km from Saddar
Saddar
Saddar is one of the neighbourhoods of Saddar Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Saddar is the central business district of Karachi. 'Saddar' generally means 'centre' and also 'head' ....
, Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
involving driving time of only 20–25 minutes through network of motorways and highways. The airport will be developed at par with international standards to serve as major hub for all aviation activities in the region.
Estimated to cost about $400 million, the new airport facility, which is the first green-field airport in Pakistan, shall comprise a contemporary state-of-the-art passenger terminal building, control tower, runway with a provision of a secondary runway, taxiways, apron, cargo complex, and hangar together with all the necessary infrastructure and ancillary facilities. It would cater to the requirements of latest generation of modern passenger aircraft. The new airport will have a modular design to handle 6.5 million passengers per annum and 80,000 metric tonnes cargo per annum. Being a new airport, a significant portion of the land has been earmarked for commercial purposes such as duty-free shops, hotel and convention centre, air malls, business centre, food courts, leisure and recreational facilities. The new airport is envisaged to be a modern landmark structure symbolic to represent twenty-first century Pakistan, as it will be the diplomatic and business gateway to Pakistan through the Capital City of Islamabad. The CAA has announced that the new airport is to be named "Gandhara International Airport" after the ancient Buddhist kingdom.
President Musharraf has laid the foundation stone of the project on April 7, 2007. This Airport is the largest and most modern Airport in Pakistan. Its total area is 3700 acres (1,497.3 ha). It will be completed within four years (June 30, 2013). The construction work has started. It will be completed in two Phases. Work on 1st phase has started & will be completed in about one year. The official said that through a letter, the Ministry of Defence has requested the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to include the area where the new airport will be situated in the capital territory and issue a notification to this effect at the earliest possible time.
Brigadier (r) Masood Salam, Project Director of the New Islamabad Airport was gunned down in mysterious circumstances in his site office in Pind Ranjha at Fateh Jang Road, police said. However, this tragic news has not stopped the development of the airport and the new airport is entering its second phase of construction. French company Aéroports de Paris Ingenierie (ADPi) and CPG Corporation
CPG Corporation
The CPG Corporation is a leading infrastructure and building development company in Singapore which constructs and maintain public infrastructure in Singapore such as government buildings, and many more.-History:...
(www.cpgcorp.com.sg) of Singapore have been selected for designing the airport infrastructure and terminal building of NIIA. The project was worked out through three different levels namely concept designing, primary and final designing..
The first phase of the project of the Gandhara International airport was completed in 2008 within 1 year of foundation stone being laid and the project will be completed within 3 years. http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=129827
The Islamabad International airport will be completed by June 30, 2013. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\06\27\story_27-6-2009_pg11_4
General Facilities
The airport will have a 180,000m² modular terminal building which will initially be able to handle nine million passengers a year. There will be two 4,000m-long category-F runways (for largest heaviest aircraft) although initially only one will be used for operations and the other will be retained as an emergency runway.There will also be a cargo complex capable of handling 100,000t a year, four rapid-exit taxiways, a special parking area for hijacked aircraft, apron parking sufficient for the contact stands, underground cable network, parking for ground handling vehicles, secure cargo areas and major airport road infrastructure.
Islamabad International Airport terminal design
The design of the new terminal building will be an architecturally significant one for Pakistan producing a national icon for the country. The design will also be sustainable and environmentally sound with use of natural daylight for main lighting and sun shading to cut cooling costs as well as an intelligent main roof (water conservation) and an elongated driveway length front portal (better views and more light).The terminal will also make full use of traditional Islamic geometric patterns in its design. The modular terminal building will have a linear pier on each side and a centre pier extending out to serve the boarding gates. The international and domestic halls will be located together under the main roof, which will be a simple trapezoid cantilevered from one of the two side piers with a cantilevered mesh screen trellis defining the exposed roof edge and attaching to a row of columns close to the ground.
Contractor
The airport infrastructure was designed by ADPI (Aéroports de Paris ingénierie) along with Acorp, Mushtaq and Bilal Mahboob Associates. The terminal building was designed by CPG Corporation of Singapore in a joint venture with National Engineering Services Pakistan (pvt) LtdNespak
National Engineering Services Pakistan Limited is a state corporation of Pakistan established in 1973. It is Pakistan’s premier consultancy organization...
(design started in March 2006).
The project management consultants for the new airport are Louis Berger Group of the US along with ECIL (Engineering Consultants International Ltd) of Pakistan.
The first phase of the construction (airside infrastructure including runways) is being undertaken over a 24-month contract for PKR11.8bn by Lagan Construction of the Republic of Ireland (60% of the work) and their local partners Husnain Cotex (40% of the work). Husnain Cotex and IKAN have also formed a joint venture to carry out the preliminary works at the airport site including earthworks and construction of embankments for the runway and main access road to the site. The Air side and Land-side work are being carried out by Joint Venture of Lagan Construction of Ireland, Technical Aaaociate and Habib Construction Services Pvt. Ltd.
Runways
Two runways are planned for the New Islamabad International Airport, the Government has additionally acquired a 400 acres (161.9 ha) piece of land to build it on. Length of both Runways will be 4000 Metres.See also
- List of airports in Pakistan
- Airlines of PakistanAirlines of PakistanThe Pakistan aviation industry was started up when Orient Airways merged with Pakistan International Airlines Corporation to become the national flag carrier of Pakistan called Pakistan International Airlines...
- Pakistan Civil Aviation AuthorityPakistan Civil Aviation AuthorityPakistan's Civil Aviation Authority is a regulatory authority, which oversees and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in Pakistan. Nearly all civilian airports in Pakistan are owned and operated by the CAA...
- Shaheen Airport ServicesShaheen Airport ServicesShaheen Airport Services is the largest ground handling agency in the private sector of Pakistan, providing facilities to commercial, corporate and private airlines at Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta...
- Transport in PakistanTransport in PakistanTransportation in Pakistan is extensive and varied but still in its developing stages and serving a population of over 170 million people. Construction of new airports, roads, and railway lines have led to an employment boost in the country. Much of Pakistan's road network and railway network...
Further reading
- Ground breaking ceremony of new Islamabad airport likely in April, Business Recorder (Pakistan's Financial Daily Newspaper), 2005-03-03.
- CAA initiates $300m new Islamabad airport (NIIA), Pakistan Link Headline News, 2006-01-07.
- CAA initiates $300m new Islamabad airport project, The News Business Section, 2006-01-07.
- New Islamabad International Airport ready for ground breaking Ceremony, PakTribune, 2006-02-07.
- The ground laying ceremony at Fateh Jang, 2007 video at YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Islamabad: Gandhara International Airport, Updates at UrbanPK.com