SKARDU: The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) has launched an expansion project at Skardu International Airport aimed at transforming the facility into a modern aviation gateway for domestic and international tourists visiting the country’s northern regions.
The project is a part of initiatives designed to develop the tourism industry in Gilgit-Baltistan with a view to upgrading the passenger facilities and enhancing the airport’s capacity.
As per the PAA official, the terminal building space will be expanded from 21,000 sq ft to 39,000 sq ft under the new development scheme. Furthermore, the departure lounge capacity will be increased to 900 passengers from the present level of 300 passengers.
In the case of the arrival lounge, its capacity will be raised to 200 passengers from 80 passengers. Executive lounges will be developed in the departure and arrival sections to serve the travellers in a more efficient manner.
The development program envisages expanding the number of check-in and briefing counters to ten from six while parking capacity will be increased to 600 vehicles from 200 vehicles.
A state-of-the-art cargo office building will also be developed at the airport.
The PAA said construction work is currently in its initial stages. Once completed, the upgraded airport is expected to provide international-standard facilities for passengers and play a key role in boosting tourism in Pakistan’s mountainous northern areas.
