Gwadar: The much-awaited New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) is all set to begin test flight operations within the next 60 days, news sources reported on January 16.
As per the airport developers, the work on the first international airport in Gwadar is 55% complete, with the NGIA moving into high gear with the installation of 39 hold or hand baggage scanning machines. The scope of work includes the procurement and installation of Dual View or Computed Tomography (CT) machines for luggage scanning which will be procured by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Additionally, NGIA will also be inspected by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and other security agencies like the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to ensure that required security standards are being implemented.
It is important to note that the NGIA is the first international standard airport facility in Balochistan, spread over an area of 4,300 acres, and will be developed with PKR 51.284 billion. The airport, once completed, will be able to accommodate narrow-body aircraft such as ATR-72 and Boeing B-737, as well as wide-body aircraft such as Airbus A-380 and Boeing B-747 for domestic and international routes. The airport will be operated under the ‘open sky policy’ and will be developed under the guidance of CAA.
Nauman Ahmad is an imaginative Pisces whose love for literature and nature is unparalleled. When he's not reading or hiking, he's sleeping and eating, which gives him plenty of energy for his next adventure.
