Infrastructure and Transport News

[Neo]

Super Highway Estate uplift work almost over: minister

KARACHI (March 28 2007): Sindh Minister for Industry, Trade, Transport and Economic, Adil Siddiqui, has said that development work on most modern lines at the Super Highway Industrial Estate, Phase II, has almost been completed.

Addressing members of Federal 'B' Area Association of Trade and Industry (FBAATI) after inaugurating the 4000 kw KECS feeder, he said that plots at this industrial estate were offered at Rs 1.5 million per acre, whereas in Sunder industrial estate plots were much expensive.

He advised the investors to take advantage of this offer and establish industrial units at this industrial estate. He said water is available; sewerage system has been developed; and roads have been constructed, and all power wiring is underground.

He said that besides developing plots a labour colony comprising of 1000 flats, hospital, mosque and school have already been developed. He said that the government is going to invite President General Pervez Musharraf to see the development of this industrial estate.

The minister said that the government has allocated Rs 250 million for KITE Limited, and added that KITE still fails to provide PC-1 of development plan. He said that the government is also willing to provide sufficient amount for the development of Federal B Area Industrial areas to the newly formed F B Area Industrial Estate Development Company.

Adil said that the government also provided Rs 500 million grant to SITE Limited for carrying out development work. He said that the government was making efforts to change the face of Karachi in the next one year. He praised the working of KESC management and said that it had done a good job to improve the working and efficiency of the organisation.

He expressed hope that KESC would complete its ongoing development and upgradation programme by June 2008. KESC Director Operation Adnan Bashir Khan said that the KESC had prepared a plan to meet power demand during the coming summer He said that KESC has installed around 150 to 200 new feeders in the city. Besides, work is in progress on upgrading its entire system.

Welcoming the guests, FBAATI Chairman Masroor Ahmed Alvi said that a number of industrial units had gone out of production in his industrial estate due to high cost of production and unfavourable conditions abroad. He said that the buyers are reluctant to visit Pakistan, whereas Pakistanis face difficulties in going abroad for marketing Pak products due to the image of Pakistan.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=543927&currPageNo=3&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

Accor launches hotel operations in Pakistan

KARACHI (March 29 2007): Accor hotels launched operations in Pakistan by opening of its first hotel, the Grand Mercure, Karachi Airport Hotel. The hotel is ideally located, bordering terminal 1 & Star Gate.

The property has state of the art five star facilities with 235 luxurious rooms, all day dining restaurant, coffee shop, health club, swimming pool, full service banqueting, marriage lawns, business centre etc.

The hotel will be an addition to the under-served hospitality market in Karachi. This is the first new five star prime property added in the hospitality sector of Karachi after a long break of over two decades. The hotel will be managed by Accor and is owned by UIG (Pvt) Limited. UIG is a joint venture between JS Group & Qureshi family.

With 160,000 associates in nearly 100 countries, Accor is the European leader in hotels and tourism and the global leader in corporate services. To provide private and business clients with superior service, it leverages nearly 40 years of expertise in its two core activities. Hotels, with the Sofitel, Novotel, Mercure, Suitehotel, Ibis, Etap Hotel, Formule 1, Motel 6 and Red Roof Inn brands, representing more than 4,000 hotels and 475,000 rooms in 90 countries, as well as strategically related activities, notably Lenotre.

Built over four decades, JS Group is one of Pakistan's most diversified and progressive financial services groups. The group has grown from its roots in Pakistan's financial services industry. JS Financial operates market-leading companies in asset management, investment banking, securities brokerage, commercial banking, insurance and trade finance.

The group also includes five vertical businesses: JS Industrial, JS Infocom, JS Property, JS Resources and JS Transportation. The group has offices throughout the major cities in Pakistan and manages its international operations from its London office. The group comprises businesses with over 18,000 employees and net income of over US $150m in 2006.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=544324&currPageNo=2&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

Pak-China rail link feasibility to be completed this year

ISLAMABAD (March 29 2007): Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Wednesday said that feasibility study for developing rail link between China and Pakistan would be completed this year.

Talking to a delegation of a Chinese firm M/s China Industry Railways, he said the rail link, would provide Pakistan and China an ample opportunity to explore vistas in economic and social sectors with European and Central Asian States.

He informed the visiting delegation that the work on Quetta-Kandhar and Taftan-Zahidan sections was already underway that would ultimately give boost to the economic ventures in South Asian region.

The Chinese delegation gave a briefing to Railways Minister and expressed keen interest in supplying fast speed passenger coaches to Pakistan Railways. Sheikh Rashid was apprised that the firm has been supplying coaches to various railways in the European countries besides the Railways of China.

In connection with the Pakistan's proposed plan to run fast trains, the minister was told that the coaches built by the Chinese firm could run between the range of 250 to 300 kilometres per hour which meets the requirement of Pakistan Railways. The delegation also extended invitation to Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed for undertaking a visit to their firm.

Sheikh Rashid, while responding positively, said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz would take up the matters pertaining to railways with his Chinese counterpart during his upcoming visit to China.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=544265&currPageNo=2&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Survey for 4th port at Sonmiani Bay starts

KARACHI: The survey for Allah Din Port – the fourth modern seaport of the country to be established at Sonmiani Bay, in Balochistan province, 75km west of Karachi, has been started.

Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Khan Ghauri and Karachi Port Trust Chairman Vice Admiral Ahmed Hayat on Wednesday took an aerial view of the Sonmiani Bay.

President Gen Pervez Musharraf shall perform stone laying ceremony of the port by the end of this year. The project aims to develop the first coastal city in Balochistan with business, housing, industrial and industrial development opportunities.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\03\29\story_29-3-2007_pg5_3

 

[Neo]

Pakistan Attracts $1.5 Billion World Bank Support For Transport Plan

ISLAMABAD -(Dow Jones)- Pakistan's $6-billion plan to improve its transport infrastructure will receive $1.5 billion worth of project loans from the World Bank over the next five to seven years.

"The chief objective (of the plan) is to lower the losses in trade and transport logistics of Pakistan, losses worth up to 4%-6% of the country's GDP," Amir Durrani, the World Bank's senior transport sector specialist, said yesterday.

The Asian Development Bank has already said it will lend another $1.1 billion.

The project, called the National Trade Corridor Plan, is yet to be formally launched. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz heads a committee that meets monthly to review progress and assign work to agencies.

The plan aims to reduce bottlenecks in highways, railways, civil aviation, ports and shipping, trucking and trade facilitation sectors, resulting in estimated savings of $5 billion a year.

Ports, roads and railways along the corridor, which runs from ports in the south to industrial bases and trading partners in the north and north-west, handle 95% of the country's external trade, valued at $41.56 billion in fiscal year ended June 30, 2006.

Poorly managed freight forwarding, high port costs, delays at customs, relatively shallow draft in ports and poorly managed roads are among the problems the project aims to deal with.

Besides the World Bank and the ADB, private investors and the government are also helping with funds.

According to a World Bank document, $1 billion of this the $1.5 billion money will be spent from 2006-2010 on building and reconstructing 9,600 kilometers of roads, with the remainder being spent on customs reforms, port handling and other areas. It is initially providing $360 million to construct 200km of expressways.

The ADB's $1.1 billion will go toward highway building and reconstruction, and for technical support for port management, according to a document outlining the government's plans.

It will also lend $600 million to help attract private investment in the power, transport and water subsectors, according to an ADB statement issued in November last year.

Including the transport infrastructure projects, the World Bank is implementing 18 projects in Pakistan in the current fiscal year, with a net commitment of $1.1 billion.

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/N...CQDJON200703290243DOWJONESDJONLINE000403.htm&

 

[Janbaz]

New int'l airport to be built near Fateh Jang

AMRAIZ KHAN
LAHORE - Civil Aviation Authority CAA Pakistan will double the present space of Allama Iqbal International Airport’s AIIAP terminal building while foundation stone of a new international airport in Islamabad would be laid down on April 7, costing more than Rs 35 billions.
CAA North Zone Regional Director Brig (R) Pervez Bashir informed this while addressing a press conference here at AIIAP on Thursday. CAA Public Relation Officer Kamran Malik and AIIAP Acting Airport Manager Muhammad Arshad Malik were also present on the occasion.
Pervez said that the airport, yet to be named, would be constructed near Fateh Jang district and it would be situated on the land of Fateh Jang and Attock land simultaneously. He said that it would be the biggest airport of the country equipped with the latest technology. President General Pervez Musharraf has shown interest in laying foundation stone of the airport, he added. He said that the prime minister and the president would name the new airport, which would be constructed on complete self-finance basis born by CAA.
He maintained that the newly designed airport would be expanded on 3700 acres land out of which 90 per cent land had been acquired by the CAA. Pervez said that NHA would construct roads of the airport, adding that the airport would be the concept of airport city in which two runways, terminal building, cargo village, hotels, shopping malls, expo centre and grid station etc would be included.
He was of the view that only ground levelling of the site would take one and a half-year and it would cost about Rs 1.5 billion.
The regional director further said that the new airport would be operational by four years and the CAA authorities had fenced the area of 18 km for the security purpose. He said consultancy for the project was being hired from an American firm. He revealed that the terminal building of the airport would be used from the two sides for the parking of aircrafts and 20 to 25 planes could be parked at the same time on the proposed airport.

The Nation.
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/mar-2007/30/bnews2.php

 

[Janbaz]

Nice to see new modern facilities being built to make all parts of our great country accesible. It's just like the U.S.A where every significant city has an international airport.

 

[Janbaz]

PIA suffers Rs 13.4 billion loss in 2006

OUR STAFF REPORTER
KARACHI - Pakistan International Airlines suffered a loss of Rs 13.4 billion last year (January-December 2006), sources told TheNation on Thursday.
The sources said that at the 302nd meeting of PIA’s board of directors in Karachi on Thursday, it was disclosed that the national flag carrier had suffered Rs 8.6 billion more loss than 2005 which was Rs 4.8 billion.
However, a press released issued by the PIA public relations department claimed that the PIA board of directors noted at the meeting that the airline had recorded an “exceptional growth of revenue” from Rs 64.074 billion (January-December 2005) to Rs 70.587 billion (January-December 2006), showing a 10 percent increase. During the same period, the passenger traffic increased by 12 percent, cargo traffic by 17 percent, the system passenger seat factor to 71.4 percent and cargo load factor to 61.9 percent. The press release said that PIA was successful in increasing its domestic market share by 4.7 percent to 69.4 percent and also managed to defend its market share in the international segment at the same level as last year of 48 percent.
“The board noted that the Corporation achieved a healthy growth of 10 percent in revenue mainly boosted by 12 percent growth in passenger revenue. However, this was more than offset by a record increase in fuel price, and over 71 percent increase in financial cost to finance increased fuel and fleet replacement cost.”
“The Board appreciated the management’s efforts to counter the adversities by adopting a strategy focusing attention on the enhancement of revenue through improved services, new selling initiatives, competitiveness and cost curtailment.”
The meeting was presided by Mr Tariq Kirmani and attended by Kamal Afsar, Mueen Afzal, Nawid Ahsan, Shahzad M Husain, and Maj Gen Mir Haider Ali Khan.

The Nation.
http://www.nation.com.pk/daily/mar-2007/30/index5.php

 

[Neo]

Stone-laying of new Islamabad airport on April 7

LAHORE (March 30 2007): The stone-laying ceremony of new Islamabad Airport project will be held on 7th of April and President General Pervez Musharraf is expected to be the chief guest on the occasion.

This Rs 35-billion project will usher in a new era of economic prosperity in the districts of Rawlapindi and Attock as it will provide direct job opportunities to 2,000-2,500 people, besides providing indirect employment to a sizeable number of people in the area, Brigadier Pervez Bashir, Director Civil Aviation Authority North Zone, told a news conference at Allama Iqbal International Airport, here on Thursday.

With the announcement of this project, the price of property in the area have shoot up, he pointed out. The project will not only financially benefit the people of the area but also add to the national exchequer in terms of tax amount.

To a query, he said the name of this airport was under consideration and the president or the prime minister will formally announce it, as and when the name is finalised.

Spreading over an area of around 3700 acres of land, this will be a complete 'green field airport.' It will have two runways to meet any emergency needs and will be able to handle growing air traffic for 70 to 100 years, he revealed. He said that out of total 3700 acres, 95 percent of the land has already been acquired while the rest of land will be managed very soon.

Payments for the acquired land have already been made, he stated. He said that area wise, it would be the biggest airport of the country having all facilities, including two runways, terminal building, lounges, cargo village as well as commercial outlets such as hotel, expo-centre, grid station, water distribution plant, Sui gas facility, offices, CAA employees colony and other necessary facilities.

He averred that the project whose total cost will be borne by the CAA through its own resources without having an financial assistance from the government, will be completed in two phases. In the first phase work regarding ground levelling etc, will be done; while in the second phase, terminal building will be completed along with all allied facilities.

It will be one of the most modern airports in the world, he claimed. Describing the uniqueness of the project he said that its terminal building would be erected in middle of the two runways for making its maximum utilisation.

About time framework of its completion he said that it will be completed in four years and civil work was expected to commence in June-July next year. To a question regarding problems being faced by the passengers at the Lahore airport arrival lounge, he said he was cognisant of the issue and the space will be doubled in less than six months. "We have already identified 336 acres of land for this purpose," he concluded.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=544726&currPageNo=2&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

Lakpass Tunnel likely to be completed by December

ISLAMABAD (March 30 2007): Work on Lakpass Tunnel on Quetta-Taftan road (N-40) is in full swing and the project is likely to be completed by December this year, four months ahead of schedule, source in National Highway Authority (NHA), Ministry of Communications told APP here on Thursday.

Lakpass Tunnel Project comprises construction of a 180 metre long tunnel and four and a half kilometre road. The tunnel is located about 25 kilometres from Quetta in District Masung. The source said the Tunnel shall provide comfort to the public travelling on N-25 & N-40, by improving the steep gradient and eliminating the curves.

The source also informed the project also includes 7.3 metres wide approach road with three metres shoulders to the tunnel and rehabilitation of the existing road to 7.3 metres width and three metres shoulders following existing alignment to allow smooth flow of traffic along the Lakpass area.

The Tunnel is being constructed by Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) at a cost of Rs 800 million on Built-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis. The tunnel will connect Quetta-Noshki-Taftan Highway (N-40) and Karachi through Karachi-Khuzdar-Quetta-Chaman Highway (N-25) also known as RCD Highway.

Construction of the Lakpass Tunnel will facilitate trade activities in the country and also with Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics, the source said adding that better business opportunities will be available to the locals. The source said at present Lakpass is a weak link on N-25 and N-40 leading to Iran and Afghanistan and to Central Asia.

The source said that gradient of the existing Lakpass crossing is 15 percent and the vehicles creep up at a snail's pace. Fully loaded trucks are compelled to hire tractors to pull them through this segment. The problem of steep gradient is aggravated by sharp blind curves. He said on completion, it will provide safe and efficient crossing with improved gradients and elimination of curves, reduce accidents and will save travelling time. The project will also provide employment opportunities and generate economic activity in the area, he added.

He further said that length of national highways in Balochistan is 36.66 percent of the overall length. The NHA's plan for Balochistan is to provide road linkages to Gwadar Port, high standard national highways and provincial and international linkages, he continued.

He further said, FWO has experienced construction experts and the latest construction equipment and machinery and has to its credit completion of the Makran Coastal Highway and hoped that Lakpass Tunnel will also be completed with quality construction.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=544778&currPageNo=3&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

132KV grid station to be set up for new Islamabad airport

ISLAMABAD (March 31 2007): The Civil Aviation Authority, in collaboration with Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO), will set up 132KV grid station for new Islamabad international airport near Fatehjhang. According to official sources, the project will cost Rs 481 million, which also included Rs 197.03 million foreign exchange.

The project will be completed in 18 months from start of the development work. It is noteworthy that ground breaking of new Islamabad International Airport is likely to be performed by President General Pervez Musharraf on April 7.

The New Islamabad Airport will be completed in two stages on 30,000 kanals of lands in four years. The new airport project will cost around Rs 35 billion. About the existing electricity facility near the new Islamabad airport, the sources said that so far there is no facility, infrastructure available at the proposed grid station site.

The sources said that under the said project the ISECO would build grid station, colony, and all necessary work stations for smooth provision of load demand of 25MW to the new Islamabad International Airport. The existing Islamabad airport is situated at congested area, which needed to be expanded immediately in order to fulfil its role to become a major hub of domestic, international travels in the country. Pakistan economy is rapidly developing, which needs new international airports to connect to the world all the time.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=545139&currPageNo=1&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

Airblue launches frequent flyer programme

KARACHI: Airblue on Friday launched Frequent Flyer programme in a bid to encourage frequent travellers of the airline by offering special treatment and packages. Frequent Flyer plastic cards are part of Airblue’s customer loyalty programme for the repeat passengers. Blue Miles cards are for passengers who are registered as frequent flyers on the airline’s website, said a press release issued here. The registered passengers who have travelled more than 2,000 miles, but less than 20,000 miles will get the standard Blue card and registered passengers who have travelled more than 20,000 miles will get Platinum Member card. Through the programme, the airline is offering 100pc greater redemption miles to its Frequent Flyer passengers than existing offers in the market.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=49106

 

[Janbaz]

Pakistan, China to enter Transit Trade Agreement

By Khalid Mustafa
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China are to kick off parleys for joint study to enter into Transit Trade Agreement (TTA), on April 10-12 in Beijing besides initiating talks for FTA in services sector.

Under the TTA both the countries would be able to use each other’s territory for transit of their goods for export to other countries. Both the sides will discuss the entry and exit points, mode of transportation of goods and security of containers under customs procedures. For this particular purpose, both the countries would carry out study on Transit Trade Agreement.

Pakistan wants to grab the Central Asian markets by using the transit route of China and in return Beijing would be allowed to use Gwadar port and Karachi port for export of its goods to other countries.

Both the countries have taken this initiative after the Quadrilateral Transit Trade Agreement (QTTA) signed in 2004 between Pakistan, China, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

Since the initiation of trade under QTTA, only 8 trucks have been passed on through Pakistan’s territory. He highlighted as to why the trade under QTTA could not pick up mentioning the irritant, which include visa and quarantine issues. Keeping in view the no progress in trade under QTTA, both Pakistan and China have decided to enter into bilateral Transit Trade Agreement.

“This will be the second Transit Trade Agreement which Islamabad would enter, as Pakistan and Afghanistan have already had Pak-Afghan Transit Trade Agreement (ATTA).”

Pakistan and Afghanistan signed the Afghan Transit Trade Agreement in 1965. According to the agreement, the goods can be transited through only two land routes ie Peshawar-Torkham and Chaman-Spin Baldakh. Now both the countries are pondering to revise the Transit Trade Agreement, as such agreement needs to be revised after every 10 years, but the existing ATTA is operational since 1965.

The News.
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=49227

 

[Contrarian]

lol neo, ur posting about frequent flyer programes now!

 

[Neo]

lol neo, ur posting about frequent flyer programes now!

I work in the civil airline industry remember?