MULTAN City News

PM to open Rs9b new airport terminal in Multan tomorrow
From Our Correspondent
MULTAN: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would inaugurate the new airport terminal, constructed at a cost of Rs9 billion on Monday, Multan International Airport Manager Tariq Gill announced at a press conference here on Saturday.
Civil Aviation Authority Director Airport Services Amir Mehboob and Project Director Air Vice Marshal Atiq Rafiq were also present on the occasion.
Gill said the international airport can now accommodate all wide-body aircrafts including 777 and 747, and immigration counters have also been set up at the airport. Furniture for the airport had been imported from Italy, he said.
Atiq Rafiq said on the occasion foolproof security measures have been taken at the new airport terminal. He said Rs2 billion were spent in phase I for construction of the runway and Rs7 billion in phase II for construction of new terminal building. Former premier Yusuf Raza Gilani made efforts for the new airport and he had performed groundbreaking of the project during his tenure.
The project was launched during former president Pervez Musharraf era but was delayed due to lack of funds. It was completed last year but could not be made operational for unavailability of power. Now, Mepco had set up a grid station to provide uninterrupted power supply to the airport.
The improvements made in the old airport include extension of runway from 9,000 to 10,500 feet, increasing the width of runway to 150 feet with 25 feet shoulders on each side. Thus the runway will be upgraded to Category E (suitable for Boeing 747 aircraft and air buses).
A cargo complex has also been built having storage capacity of 10,000 tonnes and preservation of perishable vegetables and fruits.
A number of international airlines have applied for introducing direct flights and other countries to facilitate the travellers of south Punjab.
Officials said four bridges for passengers were to be built but only two have been completed and another two are under construction which would be completed by the end of current financial year.
Meanwhile, farm experts said the extension of the airport would boost mango export to 20,000 tonnes from 10,000 tonnes. They hoped the country could earn $1 billion foreign exchange from mango export. They demanded establishment of a cold storage at the new airport to increase the shelf life of fruits.