September 07, 2008	Sunday	Ramazan 06, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Sept 6: It may not show at the Islamabad airport but the government says that in recent years it has spent Rs1.26 billion on projects undertaken at the city's existing and planned airports.The reason is that bulk of the amount, Rs996 million, went to fund "preparatory works" of phase-I of the new Islamabad airport coming up at Fatehjhang.

Minister of Defence Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar gave the figures in a written reply to the National Assembly recently which said the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) spent a total of Rs5.39 billion on carrying out projects at the 22 airports in country in the last three years.

At the Islamabad airport, recently renamed as Benazir Bhutto International Airport, the CAA is expanding the aircraft parking apron at a cost of Rs22 million. Eighty per cent of the work has been completed.

Renovation and additions to the Rawal Lounge for our VIPs and foreign diplomats on the other hand cost Rs15 million. The lounge provides an executive environment with many facilities.

For the ordinary passengers, Rs4 million have been spent on improving the international and domestic lounges, providing them such facilities as snack bars, satellite TV, public telephone, ATM machines and internet and fax services.

The Islamabad airport is able to handle 11 wide body aircraft at one time, with additional five parking places for light general aviation aircraft. The airport does not have any air bridges installed, so buses take the passengers from the airport terminal to the aircraft where air stairs are used.

The CAA spent Rs996 million on the preparatory works at the site of the New Islamabad International Airport, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani on June 21. The project is likely to cost around $400million and is expected to be completed in the next three years.

According to the Ministry of Defence, Rs1960 million was spent on the recarpeting of the runway and leveling of dressing of fair weather strip.

An amount of Rs4 million was spent on the provision of porcelain tile flooring in the international departure lounge, and another Rs8million on the water proofing of the terminal building at the airport.

The CAA also spent Rs16 million on the fixing of the chain link fence along the sewerage drain of the airport and renovation of a building.

The National Assembly was also told that Rs673 million was spent on the maintenance of Jinnah International Airport, Karachi, Rs105million on the Allama Iqbal Airport, Lahore, Rs4.5 million on Peshawar airport and Rs98 million on Quetta airport.