Airport works ahead of schedule

Transport Minister Harris Thrassou said the new airport construction works, which started in June are well ahead of schedule following a visit of the site to check on the progress and inaugurate the new road linking the airport with the road network. The new airport is expected to be finished near the end of 2009.
“We are two months ahead of schedule,” said Thrassou, adding that if things continued as they were now, the new airport could be delivered earlier than expected.
The area of the building to be constructed during the first phase will be 95,000 square metres and will serve 7.5 million passengers a year. The second phase would increase the area to 112,000 square metres with a capacity of nine million passengers a year.
The total cost, including construction plans and provision for future extension, comes to around 643 million euros. The project is being carried out under the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) system, where the private investor Hermes will construct the airport and run it for 25 years.
Under the agreement, the government will receive 33 percent of the gross income from the company and an additional 3.5 million euros every year.
Thrassou said CYP 11 million had been spent up to now on the road connections, which includes a 3.2 kilometre four lane road with traffic islands, pavements and modern lighting, the extension of the highway by one kilometre, and a bridge for passengers to reach the new terminal building.
Inside the new airport, there will be parking for 2,235 cars, 100 buses and 212 taxis.