Friday, March 29, 2024

AVIC International to conduct feasibility for Construction of new Ndola International Airport

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AVIC The construction of the Mongu-Kalabo road has started by Chinese AVIC International
File:Chinese AVIC International at the construction site at the Mongu – Kalabo road

NATIONAL Airports Corporation (NAC) has engaged AVIC International to conduct feasibility studies at the site earmarked for the construction of a modern international airport in Ndola.

Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport manager Joseph Mumbi said the studies would be carried out for a period of 21 days to ascertain the suitability of aviation operations in the area.

The modern airport would be built in Chichele area near the Ndola-Kitwe dual carriageway.

Mr Mumbi said this yesterday when Copperbelt Permanent Secretary Howard Sikwela and Forestry Department officials toured the site in preparation for the works expected to commence next year.

“We have engaged AVIC international to carry out feasibility studies in readiness for the construction works expected to start in March next year. The demographic survey is also progressing well and so far only 14 days are remaining for a full report to be ready,” he said.

Mr Mumbi said the airport would have modern facilities that would meet international standards.

He said about 700 families would be moved to pave the way for the construction works, and that those with documents would be compensated before being evicted.

Reverend Sikwela said he was satisfied with the progress on the feasibility study.

He urged people to ensure that they got legal documentation when acquiring land.

He said those who would be found without proper documents would not be compensated.

Rev Sikwela said the initial works would start while NAC engaged settlers who would be affected.

“I am urging Zambians to be very careful when acquiring land. Let us not settle on land when we have not been given documentation. I know other people have cultivated but we need extra land for expansion purposes after the construction of the airport.

“While NAC officials are negotiating with settlers, initial works can commence on the other side where there are no settlers,” he said.

President Lungu said last month that the airport, which would gobble up US$522 million, would create 3,000 jobs at construction stage.

23 COMMENTS

    • Building on Kaloba??? Firstly we have no Airline, so no guarantee of a long term solid stream of income! Business on CB with copper production shutting down, will likewise die down – yes it could be short term, but the future for Airtravel on CB remains precarious.
      When one takes a physical look at Ndola airport, all facilities for its expansion are already in place, WITH TARRED ROADS On the complex – Funding was diverted by KK to build Mfuwe Airport, which is International – HOW MANY INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS FLY DIRECT???? BIG ZERO!!
      What we need in Ndola is a NEW AIRPORT TERMINAL & Navigation facilities – which is way way cheaper currently, WHICH IT IS ALL WE NEED FOR NOW, NOT ANOTHER WHITE ELEPHANT!!

      This is second Chinese project funded in Ndola, 1st, Dag stadium, of course they…

    • Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport (Ndola International), Kenneth David Kaunda International Airport (Lusaka International), Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport (Lusaka International), you gotta be kidding me. Im not sure about Ndola, but Lusaka and Livingstone are International cities. Dont you think it would be better to market an International Airport called “Lusaka International” or “Livingstone International” instead of “Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International” or “Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport”?

      I understand that you want to honour these great men. However, you should look beyond the now! Anyway, just my thoughts.

    • this is excellent development ca nkalipafye kufimuti and the great chichele forest ,iwe ati kaloba mwalitemwa ukusheta zas y ba pf we need to die a little becoz zambia will be a central place to do business from in the next 4-5 yrs with the already made infrastructure,check the hotels being built at manda hill and arcades from the private sector and the one been done by the gvt bravo ba pf

    • Waste of resources?? Do you need an consulting company to tell you if you need to develop or build a new airport?? What drives such decisions is the Air / Tourism and Business traffic?? Ndola is a dead city with Nothing happening?? so whats the point??

      It’s a wrong move? just renovate what you have.

  1. …..are in the driving seat, REFUSED TO REDEVELOP THE SITE, but a green site – to maximise their income, yes we borrow from them, then we pay them, they bring own staff, whom we also pay, and of course the crooked chaps signing on our behalf!! We seem to never learn – we seem not to care, BUT FOOLISHLY DON’T REALISE it hits our pockets, becoz when we become so INDEBTED, NO ONE WILL INVEST IN ZED leaving us all VERY UNEMPLOYED!!!

  2. I think this project may cushion,the unemployment levels on the CB,and by the time its finished,the economy might just be back on its feet,lets support such projects guys,the sight of kk international airport is really depressing if one has extensively traveled.

  3. At his press conference on Thursday, November 26,2015, President Edgar Lungu announced the construction of the new Ndola International Airport at a cost of US$ 397 Million. In the President’s own words, and I quote: “ This is a complete Greenfield project to be constructed in Chichele Forest, surrounded by four (4) towns namely, Ndola, Kitwe, Mufulira and Luanshya.”

    My question is: if this airport is surrounded by the four towns mentioned, why should it, and how can it be said to be located in Ndola? Can someone solve this conundrum for me?

  4. AVIC International is a solid, well organised Chinese company, adherence to time – those guys can do some of these smaller roads with a week or two where others will be lazying around for up to ten or more weeks, the quality of their work, the neatness, the clean up after they complete their works, I have seen the quality of their works on Mongu-Kalabo road wow, superb! kimusebezi wale sha, luitumezi ahulu bo AVIC! I have the utmost respect for them. If you ask my opinion, I would recommend that you give them a generous chunk of all road construction projects.

  5. Ba Maikalenge,
    Administratively, the Greenfield project falls within the legal boundaries of the municipality of Ndola. Geographically, the other towns, Kitwe, Mufulira and Luanshya are more or less the same distance as Ndola is from the proposed project. Masaiti and Lufwanyama can also be included under a more broader definition.

    • You seem to have information on this. Exactly where is the location? This is not clear either because some versions indicate that it will be off the Kitwe – Ndola dual carriageway; others that it will be somewhere along the Mufulira-Ndola road near the Mufuchani area. I wish there was a map to ascertain the exact location.

  6. @ Mr. Intelligent, local names for airports cannot hamper marketing. Let us not have an inferiority complex. In Lagos,their airport is Murtala Mohammed, Abuja is Nmadi Azikiwe, Addis Ababa is Bole, Jo’burg is Oliver Tambo etc.

    Lets be proud of our names. What matters is to have facilities of international standards their names not withstanding.

  7. Money comes from China is then wired back to China after award of contract. Zambia remains with roads/Airports they’ll fail to maintain in just 2years from now plus Nkongole which even those not yet born will still be paying.

    Why have a new airport when only 1 small plane lands per day at the current Ndola Airport.

    Best is to grow your economy, raise money from taxes, award contracts to Zambian companies who will keep the money in Zambian banks.

  8. Comment: @ Maloza in Zambia nikwisa mwikala bayama?? Kindly keep quiet if you have little or no knowledge to avoid exposing your natural failures.

  9. GREAT. BA EDGAR LUNGU, DO SIMILAR THINGS TO ALL MAJOR LAKES AND RIVERS. MAJOR LAKES AND RIVERS NEED MODERN PORTS TO ESTABLISH A MODERN TRANSPORT SYSTEM ON THEM AND ENCOURAGE TOURISM, AGRICULTURE, INDUSTRIALISATION IN AFFECTED AREAS. ONCE THIS IS DONE DEVELOPMENT IN THOSE AREAS WILL BE MORE THAN TEN-FOLD. BELIEVE ME YOU. AND CONNECT THESE DEVELOPED INFRASTRUCTURES WITH MODERN TRAINS AND PLANES (RAILWAYS AND AIR ROUTES). TAKE AN EXAMPLE OF UYO CITY IN NIGERIA WHICH GOT DEVELOPED WITHIN 5 YEARS FROM A GHETTO TOWN TO A MODERN CITY.

  10. Do you know how many flights land in Ndola on a daily basis? Don’t just criticize of/the sake of it. From SA there is SA, Airlink and InterAir then we have KQ and Ethiopian landing there too.

  11. Let them start building on Kaloba, they will only leave us in big time nkongole because they are not coming back, 2016 kuyabebele

  12. whats going on with this same project,i thought it already started but still their is nothing going on on site,PF sela tubombeko slogan tailebomba

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