The $4.1 billion Dubai International Airport expansion project currently underway is ahead of schedule. Nearly 50 percent of the excavation work for the first package which includes the excavation and piling work for Terminal 3 and Concourse 2 is completed.
Within the next six weeks, it is expected that the second package, which will include the foundation and concrete works for Terminal 3 and Concourse 2 buildings, will be finalized and work will begin in early August 2003. The second package is currently in the tendering process and has eight major consortiums bidding for it.
The Dubai Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) embarked upon the expansion program in mid 2002. A major reason for the expansion plan has been the projected growth of passenger and cargo movements. The passenger movement projections have been revised and according to new projections, Dubai will witness 70 million passengers by 2016 and 100 million by 2025.
These projections have been revised in collaboration with Emirates Airline and Dubai Government agencies. Accordingly the new expansion will be designed to cater for up to 70 million passengers a year. As the saturation point nears, other plans will be developed. Capacity for the aircraft movement will also be increased to 65 movements per hour as compared to 55 movements currently with the completion of the staggered runways. Currently over 400 movements take place per day on an average. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
