(Tolo News) – Airports in southern Kandahar, western Herat and northern Balkh provinces will be expanded based on international standards, officials in Transport ministry said on Monday.
Expansion of the airports has begun and they would be ready to be used for international flights in four years.
Early estimations said the number of flights would notably increase to one hundred each day, after the expansion projects are accomplished, officials said.
All international standards, that are required for international airports, were considered in the projects, a senior official in Transportation and Aviation Ministry said.
Capital Kabul airport is also included in the expanding projects and it would cost $500 million. The United States, Italy, Japan and Asian Development Bank will contribute to the project.
“On the first step, we want to have four airports with all international standards and they are included in Kabul, Kandahar, Herat and Balkh provinces,” Nangyalai Qalatwal, Transport and Aviation Ministry Spokesman said.
“Fortunately construction and expansion work has begun and we are also planning to renovate and construct other airports in several other provinces,” he further added.
Besides creating job opportunities for people in the provinces, the transport ministry’s income will also increase three times than the present which is $50 million in a year.
