Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan
Most recently, H.E. Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov inaugurated a new splendid airport at historic city of Ashgabat. The Ashgabat International Airport has become” the largest in Central Asia” occupies almost 1,200 hectares and includes more than 100 facilities.
It is designed to replicate the shape of a soaring falcon. Its terminal roof resembles a bird with spread wings which is another beautiful addition to Ashgabat’s vast array of iconic buildings.
It would further enhanced Turkmenistan’s “solid transit potential” for years to come. Previously, Ashgabat holds a Guinness World Record for the highest density of white marble-clad buildings as well as the largest indoor Ferris wheel. Now it has again won a “Guinness World Award” for its new international airport at Ashgabat.
It is built of over$2 billion. Turkmenistan has “all the opportunities to become a transport bridge facilitating economic cooperation between Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, and South Asia and by inauguration of new airport, it is further connected. It is another step towards further “diversification of macro-economy and productive channels”.
It is indeed a “master piece” in the civil aviation industry which is the ideal combination of science and arts. It is the perfection of diversified and latest technologies. Most precisely it is built with heart which shows the strategic vision of its beloved leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, inspirations and dreams of its common people.
It is a “new chapter” in its air gates which would definitely enhance its regional and as well as international connectivity. It is built by a Turkish construction company Polimeks. The five-floor airport is built in the shape of a giant bird echoing the logo of the Central Asian state carrier Turkmenistan airlines.
Opening of the new international airport in Ashgabat will promote further development of its civil aviation industry, activation of mutually beneficial trade-economic and humanitarian relations, tourism and overall integration of Turkmenistan into the orbit of international relations.
The new airport will be able to host any plane and provide services meeting international standards. The carrying capacity will total 2000 passengers per hour. The new international airport consists of the three terminals passenger, VIP, cargo, new 3800 m long air strip, taxi lanes, parking lots and aprons for planes, control towers and other facilities. Total area of the airport makes 1200 hectares.
Civil aviation plays a very important part in achieving the desired goals of socio-economic development of a country and by inaugurated this bird shaped, the biggest airport of the CIS, Turkmenistan has made a “giant leap” towards its further regional connectivity, greater socio-economic progress and prosperity.
The government in Ashgabat has taken part in a railroad project connecting Central Asia to Iran. It also is building a $2 billion port on the Caspian Sea and is involved in a project to build a railway through Afghanistan. New airport would play a role a catalyst in service sector of its macro-economy in the days to come.
It would increase tourist industry. It would increase its hotelier industry. It would be a value-addition to its overall hospitality industry in the country. Moreover, it would facilitate holding of 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games to be held Ashgabat, first-ever in Central Asia.
Berdymukhamedov said the new airport’s two passenger terminals would have the capacity to serve 17 million passengers a year while the freight terminal could handle 200,000 tons of freight annually. Berdymukhamedov further elaborated that
“With an advantageous geographical position at the crossroads of regional and international communications routes, our country has a solid transit potential we aspire to realise to the maximum”.
The opening ceremony was attended by the representatives of a number of international and regional organizations such as the International Air Transport Association, the Interstate Aviation Committee, the International Road Transport Union, and the International Organization for Migration, the Olympic Council of Asia, Oceania National Olympic Committees and others.
Leaders and representatives of the airlines and aeronautical services from about 25 countries participated at the opening ceremony. More than 350 international guests representing different media houses, communication experts, economists, political scientists, marketing experts and above all diplomates actively participated a witnessed a grand ceremony of the opening of new international airport at Ashgabat. They were all mesmerized with elegant artistic beauty, perfective utility of latest technologies, interior settings and above all facilitations in the different prats of the said international airport. It meets every international standard with ease and zeal.
Formation of modern transport and communication system is one of the basic principles of the economic strategy of Turkmenistan’s government under the visionary leadership of its H.E. President Berdimuhamedov.
The total area of the main building of the terminal with capacity of 14 million passengers per year is more than 190 thousand square meters. Together with the second terminal for 3 million passengers, the Airport will now be able to serve more than 17 million passengers per year or around 2 thousand passengers per hour. More than 200 thousand tons of cargo will be able to transit via the cargo terminal.
The new airport has two airstrips with the entire necessary infrastructure and a total length of 3,800 meters. The airport’s air traffic control service has been provided with the latest navigation equipment. The airport is able to receive planes of any types and cargo capacity, providing the service at international level.
The number of passport control stands has been reduced due to a new e-gate. Duty-free shops, 27 food shops with three of them in the business-lunch format, are located in the International flights sector. The airport also has all conditions for disabled people.
Concluding Remarks
H.E. Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov is a true visionary leader. He has iconic personality of traditions, innovations, prosperity, and socio-economic development in the whole of CIS. Inauguration of new Ashgabat Airport reconfirms his strategic vision about further diversification of macro-economy, greater regional connectivity and peace and harmony.
It would further accelerate its commercial diplomacy drive in the days to come. It would be a true strategic asset to Turkmenistan which would reduce its burden on oil & gas sectors. It would foster its international trade mix. It would increase its trade and commerce activities. It would be a regional hub of tourism, connectivity and transits in the days to come.
New Ashgabat Airport is the ideal combination of science and arts. It holds beauty of its rich culture and traditions. It reflects Turkmen concept of lavish hospitality. It showcases its true spirits of love, peace and harmony. It shows its love to nature. It carries highest levels of comfortability and consumerism. It has already opened “NEW AIR GATES” of Turkmenistan. It is another value-addition to its service sector. It has immense socio-economic multiplier effects.