Upgrade progress of Kigali International Airport
The Kigali International Airport (KIA) upgrade that has been ongoing since September last year is 70 percent complete, says Infrastructure Minister Prof. Silas Lwakabamba.
After completion of an architectural design project in 2011 by a British company, ROKO construction ltd was later contracted to do the work.
The completion timeframe for the project was set at 15 months since September 2012, which will be achieved looking at the pace of the works.
Lwakabamba said the upgrade was initiated after passenger numbers using the airport recently sky rocketed to 400, 000 annually. The number is projected to reach 500, 000 by the end of 2013 and 600, 000 by end of next year.
He said the projections are made in relation to the increased rate of passengers since 2008 when they were just 280, 000.
“Since the construction started, a total of 350 Rwandans both skilled and unskilled have been employed.”
KIA was initially built to handle a capacity of 300, 000 passengers but upon completion of the upgrade the airport will be able to handle up to 1.5million passengers.
He observed that expansion will make the airport terminal spacious. Movement will be made easy for both the able bodied and People with Disabilities (PWDs) with inclusion of escalators and lifts.
“The number of Check in counters will be doubled from the current 9 to make the queues shorter. Shopping experience will be made more luxurious with more outlets as well as refreshment areas and other services to make the airport a one stop center for both arriving and departing passengers.”
The departure lounge has also been enlarged. The baggage area will be installed with another conveyor belt machine to increase efficiency.
On the airport’s landside, another automated outlet and parking area have been completed that will provide comfortable parking lots for numerous cars and quick exit to reduce queuing of cars during busy hours.
Kigali International Airport (KGL), located in capital of Rwanda Kigali, is the busiest airport of the country. Other airports are Kamemebe Airport and Gisenyi Airport.
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