The
on-going expansion works of Entebbe International Airport will lead to an
increase of passenger traffic to 3.5 million annually from the current 1.8
million.
The Deputy Director General of the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority-CAA Fred
Bamwesigye said this while monitoring the expansion and upgrade work on Sunday.
“We are looking at having up to 3.5 million using the airport by 2021,”
Bamwesigye says.
The on-going airport expansion works include erection of a new
cargo centre with storage capacity of 100,000 tonnes, way higher than 59,000
tonnes of the former centre, an apron, an upgrade on the runway 12/30 among
others.
Bamwesigye further remarked that the cargo centre is currently at 95% level of
completion while the aircraft parking apron is at 85%.
“The rehabilitation works for expansion of aircraft parking apron 1, are
at 71.9% while the second runway is at 85% completion,” Bamwesigye
stated.
Currently, the CAA is working on all airport access roads which he said are at
95% finished plus establishment of a new fuel firm and hydrant system.
Expansion on the airport according to Robert Ssebalamu, a tourism operator in
Entebbe municipality will see more tourists flying into the country which would
boost the tourism industry further.
The upgrade and expansion of the airport is a 720 billion shillings project
undertaken by several Chinese companies including China Communications
Construction Company.
Sylvester Kasirye an Aviation Safety expert says such upgrade will see
Entebbe International Airport (EIA) be upgraded to one of the biggest airports
in East Africa after Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), Kigali and
among other airports.
The expansion and upgrade is in line with the amendment of the Civil Aviation
Authority Act to empower and grant unrestricted access to the Authority
inspectors to inspect aerodromes, air operator premises and aircraft without
prior notice unlike in the previous Act where inspectors had to first seek for
permission from air operators and aerodrome operators to visit their premises
for routine inspections.
Such amendments according to CAA will help ensure safety and security of the aircraft at the airport.
-URN
