The newly inaugurated Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Board has commended Civil Aviation Authority management for the speedy and time bound expansion projects at Entebbe International Airport. While inspecting the ongoing works on the upgrade and expansion of the Passenger and cargo terminal on Thursday, board members who included Dr. Asiimwe Rwekikiga, Hajji Zubair Musoke Musaayi, Mrs Olive Lumonya, Eng. Mackenzie Ogweng and Enock Rukidi were satisfied with the speedy progress and the level of transparency and accountability that CAA Management has exhibited. The board members promised to continue working with CAA Management to ensure that Entebbe International Airport meets standards of other International Airports.
Some of the projects that CAA is undertaking include;
- Establishment of a new cargo centre complex (10,000m2, capacity of 100,000 tons),
- Construction of a New Passenger Terminal Complex (20,000m2)
- Strengthening of existing Apron 4,
- Strengthening of existing Runway 17/35 and its associated taxiways,
- Strengthening of existing Runway 12/30 and its associated taxiways,
- Expansion and strengthening of Apron 1 (Expansion of 6 code C parking stands),
- Rehabilitation of Apron 2, On-site water supply system. Fire water system (excluding works on Aprons) and its associated facilities.
The new Cargo Centre, which is part of the works under the supervision of the consultants commenced smoothly in May, 2016 at Entebbe. Earthworks have been completed and the contractor is now working on the airside and landside access roads.
Cargo volumes have grown from 6,600 metric tons recorded in 1991 to 59,000 tons at the turn of 2016. The new 100,000 tones capacity Cargo Centre will be a self-contained facility with a Parking Apron, landslide and airside access roads, cooling facilities, a Freight Forwarders Parlor and ancillary business outlets. It is part of the US Dollars 200 million loan to Uganda by China through the Exim Bank of China. Part of the loan will be used to re-surface the Runways, Taxiways and strengthen and expand the Aprons under the same contractor.
At the commencement of the Cargo Centre construction, 42 new Aviation Police Units were constructed in Kigungu to relocate Aviation Police from the Cargo Centre site. They have already occupied the new state-of-the-art premises.
