The completion date of the new Islamabad international airport is growing closer than ever. The airport which is being constructed in Fateh Jhang will be the first greenfield airport in Pakistan.
After repeated delays in its launch, the airport is finally nearing its completion and is expected to start operations in the twin cities on August 14, 2017.
The airport is being built on an area of 3,751.5 acres and it will be capable of handling the Airbus A380 which the current Islamabad airport is unable to do so. The airport has two main runways and will be able to serve 15 million passengers in a year during the first phase of its operation.
The new Islamabad airport is also expected to be expanded in the upcoming years to make the possibility of serving up to 25 million passengers a year. The terminal inside the airports will have 15 gates with ten remote gates, duty-free shops, a four-star hotel, a food court and 42 counters for immigration.
Currently, the Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan is in the process of acquiring 2,833 acres of additional land to construct the third runway for the airport.
Here is a short video released a few months back showing the new Islamabad Airport.
Name of the New Islamabad Airport
The name of the new Islamabad Airport currently stands undecided. However, the Federal Cabinet has taken an initiative to form a committee to help decide on a name. The committee includes Minister of ports and shipping, Mr. Mir Hasil Khan Bazenjo, the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Maryam Aurangzeb, Adviser on National History and Literary Heritage, Mr. Irfan Siddique and Barrister Zafarullah.
Location of the Airport
With the launch date of 14th August less than a month away, the name will be decided in the coming weeks. It is located on Fateh Jang Road.
The roads connecting to the airport have almost been completed as seen below. The Metro Bus project is also being extended to connect the airport and it will be operational by December 2017.
