- Connectivity: Pakistan Set to Make New Gwadar International Operational on Aug 14, 2024
- To foster regional connectivity, Pakistan to make New Gwadar International operational
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will carry the soft launching of the airport
- Development of New airport at Gwadar to bolster Pakistan’s burgeoning aviation sector.
- New Gwadar International operational is key development project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), BRI
By: Muhammad Arif, Editor NSN.Asia
Islamabad: To foster regional connectivity, Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is set to make New Gwadar International operational, with a PIA flight from Karachi marking the inaugural landing on August 14, the independent day of Pakistan, local media reported, CAA citing sources.
Located on the shores of the Arabian Sea, Gwadar is a port city of the southwestern province of Balochistan, Pakistan.
A well-placed source in Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) told ARY News that the new Gwadar Airport will be made operational on August 14, for which all the arrangements have been made.
The soft launching of the airport will be carried out by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the sources said.
Built with an investment of Rs54.98 billion, the airport features state-of-the-art facilities and is designed to accommodate large aircraft like the Airbus A380.
Inauguration of New Gwadar International, a key development project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), will be a major milestone in terms of connectivity between South Asia and Central Asia.
The port will not only boost connectivity but also foster economic growth, enhance trade, tourism, and investment opportunities, playing a crucial role in integrating Pakistan into the global aviation network besides serving as a crucial infrastructure project for Pakistan’s burgeoning aviation sector.
The new Gwadar Airport is located 26 km north-east of the existing Gwadar airport and 3,000 acres of land was given for it by the government of Pakistan. Like the new Islamabad Airport, Gwadar Airport is the second greenfield airport of Pakistan.
According to CAA, the airport will be capable of handling a combination of ATR 72, Airbus, (A-300), Boeing (B-737), and Boeing (B-747) for domestic as well international routes.
Also, currently, only four percent of the operational portion remains unfinished. Other developmental works related to the airport are projected to be completed by December 2025.
The New Gwadar International Airport is poised to enhance the regional connectivity, and enhance economic growth,
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan laid the foundation stone of New Gwadar International Airport on 29 March 2019, and then its construction work started on 31 October 2019, now the opening date of New Gwadar International Airport has been given on 14 August 2024.
After Islamabad, the second largest Greenfield International Airport in Gwadar, which is the largest international airport in Pakistan in terms of area, is built in an area of 4300 acres or about 18 km radius in Mouza Grandani North of Gwadar Tehsil and District.
New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) is managed and operated by Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
To be owned by a joint venture between Pakistan, Oman, and China, the airport will handle domestic and international operations, according to PCCA.
The airport development is a part of the $56bn China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) development, which is a cornerstone of China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative.
The Greenfield Airport to be built across an area of 4,300 acres will be the one of the biggest in Pakistan and will also become the nation’s second airport capable of handling A380 aircraft upon its commissioning in 2022. It is expected to stimulate the development in Gwadar peninsula and boost trade between Pakistan and China.
The airport will be operated under open sky policy and will be developed under the guidance of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA).
Last but not the least, Gwadar port is of central importance in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. Among the projects of CPEC, Pakistan’s largest international airport, Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan Phase 1 is the most important project.
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