HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): Some residents of this western city of Herat say millions of US dollars were spent on their province’s airport, but still they have to travel abroad via the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul.
The Heratis are demanding direct international flights from the airport in Herat City, the capital of western Herat province. However, many Herat residents fly to India from Iran.
The residents claim several projects were funded by foreign countries particularly by Italy to make the Herat Airport as an international one, but the money was only spent on changing of the airport’s name from Herat airport to Herat International Airport.
Sharafuddin, a resident of Herat city, told Pajhwok Afghan News that passengers who wanted to travel to the UAE, Turkey or some other countries, they have to first travel to Kabul.
“A flight from Herat reaches Dubai in 1.5 hour, but passengers have to fly to Kabul first that takes one hour and if they go by road, the journey consumes 20 hours.”
Abbas Ali Zadah, another resident, said Dubai-bound passengers had no option but to reach Kabul.
According to reports, a project worth $3.5 million was signed in 2011 to make the airport in Herat City as an international airport.
Following this in 2013 the Ministry of Finance (MoF) signed another contract worth $39 million funded by Italy Embassy in Kabul to standardize the airport.
Officials at the airport did not share their views about the money spent on the airport’s development and information about facilities and foreign flights.
Ahmad Shaheer Salehi, acting in-charge of the Herat airport, said 200,000 individuals were flown in a year from the airport, not a significant number compared the province’s population.
According to him, a weekly direct flight from Herat took place to India and Iran. “There is no doubt that the current capabilities of the airport are not enough for the people of Herat, but I’m sure that the national unity government is in a bid to rebuild this airport,” he added.
Salehi said after feasibility studies were completed, a new airport in the east of the current one would be constructed with global standards and a capacity of one million passengers a year.
The governor’s spokesman, Jilani Farhad, said the Italian aid for the Herat airport would be finalized and work will begin after completion of the studies.
He said development plans for the airport initiated by the previous authorities in the last few years did not come to fruition.
According to Farhad, after the completion of studies, construction of the new Herat airport will begin with all its advanced features.
pk/ma
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