Economy, Domestic Economy
0

Mehrabad Airport Renovation Underway

Mehrabad Airport Renovation Underway
Mehrabad Airport Renovation Underway

The cost of renovating Mehrabad International Airport is estimated at 5 trillion rials ($150 million at market exchange rate), including 1 trillion rials  ($30 million) for resurfacing the  taxiways, said general director of the Iranian Airports Holding Company, Rahmat Allah Mahabadi.

Renovation of Mehrabad airport began last week with taxiway resurfacing to replace the asphalt pavement with concrete. “The resurfacing work is expected to finish by the end of the current [Iranian] year (March 19, 2016),” Mehr News Agency quoted the official as saying.

He ruled out the possibility of extensive flight cancellations during the project’s execution but noted that occasional flight delays are inevitable.

  MIA Relocation Not Feasible

Mahabadi referred to an earlier proposal by Tehran Municipality to relocate Mehrabad airport due to environmental considerations as “immature,” observing that the airport has significant economic and social benefits for the country.

“Mehrabad airport has been in operation for the past 70 years and can go on operating for another 20 years,” he said. To minimize the environmental risks posed by the airport’s operations, he suggested reducing the number of non-commercial flights.

Mahabadi also unveiled plans for the construction of a new runway and terminal at Mehrabad.

Iranian Airports Holding Company’s deputy director for planning and supervision, Gholam Hossein Baqerian had earlier announced plans by the government to construct a new passenger terminal in the airport. The terminal, to be constructed on a 50,000-square meter area, is expected to increase annual passenger handling capacity by 10-12 million.

Financialtribune.com