Gwadar International Airport has recently undergone a significant night landing operation, amounting to a staggering investment of more than 230 million dollars. The funding for this ambitious project was provided by the Chinese government as part of the grants associated with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on Sunday launched a landing operation for flights during night hours at the Gwadar International Airport. In this regard, the CAA has issued directives to airlines and aviation companies, saying that overnight parking at the Gwadar airport will not be allowed. “Only military aircraft and those belonging to the Balochistan government will be allowed to park at night at the Gwadar International Airport,” it said.
The country’s largest airport – New Gwadar International Airport – is located in Gurandani, which is 26km east of Gwadar city. It is the first airport in Balochistan that has allowed night landings. The CAA has issued instructions to all airlines and aviation companies for September and clarified that overnight parking of aircraft will not be allowed.
The aviation regulator said military and Balochistan government flights will have special permission. “The security arrangements in this regard will have to be done by themselves,” the CAA said. Gwadar International Airport is situated 14 km (9 miles) north of the city centre of Gwadar. Moreover, Pakistan International Airlines connects Gwadar to Karachi, Turbat, Quetta, Peshawar, Islamabad, Lahore, Dubai, Doha, Kuwait City, Riyadh, Tehran, Mashhad, Bahrain and Muscat. The airport welcomes local and international flights to the port city.
The project was financed through the Chinese government’s grant under the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, and its cost was estimated at $230 million. According to the CPEC website, the airport’s construction created 3,000 jobs. The groundbreaking ceremony of the airport was held on March 29, 2019, by then-prime minister Imran Khan. Implementation of the project was handed over to the Aviation Division. Meanwhile, its construction work began on October 31, 2019. As per the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor portal, the expected completion date of the project was March 2023.
“Construction of New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA), along with allied facilities for a new airport that 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,” the website mentions regarding the much-anticipated facility.
