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Construction of four airports on schedule

MUSCAT: The construction of four regional airports is progressing as per schedule, with the remaining packages reaching different stages of design and tendering, a senior official at the Ministry of Transport and Communication , has said.

The four airports -- Sohar, Al Duqm, Ras Al Hadd and Adam -- will link interior regions with Muscat, and is part of a larger plan to meet the increasing travel demand from tourists, businessmen and local communities.
The Ministry of Transport and Communications is overseeing the development of new regional airports.

After awarding two packages for building a green field airport in Sohar, design work is progressing for the terminal building, which will be able to handle around 500,000 passengers per annum, Engg. Said bin Khalfan Al Maskari, director of Projects, Civil Aviation Affairs at the Ministry of Transport and Communications , has said.

A tender for the terminal building will be floated by the Tender Board within a short period.

Other facilities planned for Sohar airport include a 9,000 square metres floor area, parking area for 300 cars, two gate lounges, one boarding bride for VIPs, a cargo terminal building with a capacity of 50,000 tonnes and in-flight catering building with a capacity to handle 700 meals per day. The runway length is envisaged at 4km. The initial contracts, including site preparation and construction of access road, were bagged by Strabag Oman. When operational in 2013, the domestic airport will also serve as an alternative to Muscat International Airport in the event of any contingency.

Growth of cargo
The facility will support the growth of cargo, courier and passenger traffic across north Oman. Egypt-based engineering consultancy group Hamza Associates is the design consultant for the upcoming airport.

Al Maskeri said that the development of Al Duqm airport is also progressing, after awarding the landside civil works. While financial tender analysis is going on for the airside civil work package, design work for the terminal building is progressing.

Like Sohar port, the terminal building will have a capacity to handle 500,000 passengers per annum and the gross floor area is envisaged at 13,350 square metres, with a parking facility for 300 cars. The runway length is envisaged at 4km, and the airport will have a cargo terminal building with a capacity to handle 50,000 tonnes and an in-flight catering building with a capacity to handle 700 meals per day.

When operational, the new Duqm airport will serve as a new gateway into a region with significant economic, industrial and commercial potential.

After completing the civil works, construction is progressing for airside civil work for Ras Al Hadd airport, which is located near Sur. The development programmes include construction of a 4-km-long runway, taxiways and air navigation and meteorology system. Design for the terminal building to handle 500,000 passengers per annum is progressing and a tender will be floated for selecting the contractor.

Adam airport, which is essentially a domestic airport, will have a capacity to handle 250,000 passengers per annum, with a runway length of 4 kilometres.

© Times of Oman 2010