During his trip to the Namangan province on Tuesday, president Shavkat Mirziyoyev got acquainted with the Namangan International Airport modernization project.
“The path from the Fergana Valley to other provinces of our country lies through the pass, and trains are not available in all directions. Therefore, life itself dictates the need to improve the airport’s infrastructure, which will provide a powerful incentive for the development of business, transport services and tourism,” the presidential press service said in a statement.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev, at a meeting in Namangan on the same day, underscored that now industrial and fruit and vegetable products from the Namangan province are being exported through Tashkent or Andijan province, which is why production costs are rising.
The throughput capacity of the passenger terminal is planned to be increased to 1,000 per hour. The reconstructed arrivals terminal of Namangan Airport was inaugurated last September. The passenger service area increased from 720 to 1756 sqm. It was reported that capacity increased by 3 times - from 100 to 300 passengers per hour. While, the launch of departures terminal reconstruction project was announced.
To strengthen the potential of the province in the areas of business, export and transit, it is planned to build a cargo terminal on empty areas, catering and fuel refueling complexes, as well as other utility buildings.
The project also provides for renewal the fleet of special equipment, which will allow receiving and servicing aircraft of any type.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized the need to increase the number of local and international flights. One of the main goals should be to ensure the affordability of tickets, he said.
In April 2022, as part of the Uzbekistan airports development strategy until 2035, the president was provided with a presentation with two scenarios for the development of airports in the Fergana Valley. Former chairman of the board of Uzbekistan Airports Rano Juraeva underscored that the first scenario provided for the reconstruction of existing airports. According to the second scenario, instead of three “lightly loaded” international airports operating in a 100-kilometer zone, it was proposed to create a single airport for the Fergana Valley.
Recently, after reconstruction, another airport in the valley was opened - in Kokand, which got the provincial airport status. It should begin full operation on April 1. The air harbor has been closed to civil aircraft since 2001 and was used only by the Air Force.
