The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has invited firms to tender
for the construction of the second runway at the Jomo Kenyatta
International Airport in Nairobi.
The project was
first announced in 2013. The plan, partially funded by the African
Development Bank (AfDB), entails the construction of a 4.8km long and 75
metre wide runway in line with the International Civil Aviation
Organisation (ICAO) Category Two standards, including connecting
taxiways, additional parking stands for aircraft, and an air rescue
firefighting unit.
Last November, AfDB approved a $160
million (Sh16.1 billion) loan for the project earlier estimated at Sh37
billion. Its construction had been scheduled to begin in June this
year.
“(The government) intends to apply part of the
proceeds of this loan for construction of the second runway at JKIA,”
said KAA on Tuesday in a notice posted on dailies.
“The procurement of civil works will be carried out under open competitive bidding with post qualification of contractors.”
The
project is designed to improve reliability of air transport to and from
JKIA by reducing delays at peak hours and costly flight diversions
arising from incidents on the existing runway. It also involves
reconfiguration of the existing single runway that impedes the airport’s
operational efficiency.
“The project will reduce
mishaps on the path as it will nearly double the aircraft movement from
25 to 45 aeroplanes per hour. Moreover, the technology will enable
operations in bad weather, thus avoiding diversion of aircraft,” said
KAA chief executive officer Jonny Andersen last year.
The
existing single runway is operating at Category Flights Conditions
level one (CAT-1) with a width of 45 metres and length of 4.1km.
The
planned upgrade will raise JKIA to world class standards, according to
KAA and see it handle new generation extra-wide-bodied aeroplanes such
as the Airbus A380 and Boeing B747-800.
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