Friday, January 28, 2011

KKIA runway expected to be completed by March 2012

KOTA KINABALU: The Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) runway extension project has been extended and is expected to be completed by March 2012.

Global Upline corporate advisor Tan Sri Dr Ting Pek Khing said the extension was given because the company had to use a new construction method to build the additional 480 meters of runway into the sea without causing further erosion to the shoreline and to finish resurfacing work on the runway itself.

“Resurfacing of the runway is expected to be completed by the end of this year or early next year. The balance of the work will be completed by March next year,” he said.

Ting said that the method, which has been approved by the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), would cost more money and an additional nine months to complete and will not impede the utilization of the runway during the duration.

“Extension of the runway can be finished in March but there are a lot of other things we have to consider. Many need approval and financial approval. The runway is safe for landing, no problem,” he said here yesterday.

Ting said that the company is now awaiting the approval from the Ministry of Transport and the allocation for the new construction method known as ‘Temporary Staging’ that will not affect the shoreline.

“The EIA has already approved our system of doing it, we just need the final approval from the Ministry of Transport to ask for more money to change the system of construction in order to finish it without destroying the shoreline, which is good for the villagers because it might incur flooding if it is not done properly,” he said.

Continue reading at: KKIA runway expected to be completed by March 2012
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