ZIA may have second runway
Saturday, 7 March 2009
The government is examining the feasibility of constructing another runway as per the master plan at Zia International Airport (ZIA), which handles 400 flights a week, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) officials said Thursday, reports bdnews24.com.
ZIA should be offering a lot of additional facilities befitting an international airport, once another runway was added, especially during any emergency when a runway went inoperative, they added.
"We have already formed a committee headed by CAAB Member (Admin) AKM Mahabub Alam, who will submit a feasibility report as soon as their scrutiny of and sifting through the relevant data is done and the recommendations made," said CAAB Member (Operation and Planning) M Naim Hasan.
"The ZIA master plan has kept the provision for two runways. Therefore, we're checking out the feasibility of the second one.
"We have space for the second runway. Some houses built in the vicinity of the airport may impede the construction of a second runway.
"The committee is determining the number of such houses and the extent of possible relocations."
Highlighting the advantages of an additional runway, he said, "Having two runways can be quite helpful and at times of emergency when the runway in use has to be shut down. The second runway would help keep flight operations going."
"There aren't any planning or budgetary provisions for the envisaged second runway until now though."
ZIA began operating in 1980 with a 10,500-foot runway and three taxiways. In 1983, it was renamed Zia International Airport after the slain president Ziaur Rahman.
According to CAAB, the government in 2005 demolished 12 contiguous high-rise buildings.
But to date, 20-25 multi-storied buildings including the Lotus Tower, Nitol Tower and RAJUK Trade Centre still scrape the ZIA skies posing risks to the flights landing and taking off, officials said.
CAAB officials added that eventually hundreds of buildings raised in Uttara and Nikunja residential areas may prove to be obstacles to the second runway.
Bangladesh has three international and five domestic airports. It also has seven STOL (short take-off and landing) ports.
ZIA should be offering a lot of additional facilities befitting an international airport, once another runway was added, especially during any emergency when a runway went inoperative, they added.
"We have already formed a committee headed by CAAB Member (Admin) AKM Mahabub Alam, who will submit a feasibility report as soon as their scrutiny of and sifting through the relevant data is done and the recommendations made," said CAAB Member (Operation and Planning) M Naim Hasan.
"The ZIA master plan has kept the provision for two runways. Therefore, we're checking out the feasibility of the second one.
"We have space for the second runway. Some houses built in the vicinity of the airport may impede the construction of a second runway.
"The committee is determining the number of such houses and the extent of possible relocations."
Highlighting the advantages of an additional runway, he said, "Having two runways can be quite helpful and at times of emergency when the runway in use has to be shut down. The second runway would help keep flight operations going."
"There aren't any planning or budgetary provisions for the envisaged second runway until now though."
ZIA began operating in 1980 with a 10,500-foot runway and three taxiways. In 1983, it was renamed Zia International Airport after the slain president Ziaur Rahman.
According to CAAB, the government in 2005 demolished 12 contiguous high-rise buildings.
But to date, 20-25 multi-storied buildings including the Lotus Tower, Nitol Tower and RAJUK Trade Centre still scrape the ZIA skies posing risks to the flights landing and taking off, officials said.
CAAB officials added that eventually hundreds of buildings raised in Uttara and Nikunja residential areas may prove to be obstacles to the second runway.
Bangladesh has three international and five domestic airports. It also has seven STOL (short take-off and landing) ports.