Prince Chintimbwe, the director of airport services at Zambia's National Airports Corporation Limited (NACL), has dispelled reports alleging that the new terminal at Livingstone's Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport was "sinking", claiming his remarks had been taken out of context. |
| Livingstone's current International Terminal (PeterKent) |
Speaking to South Africa's Business Travel Now, Mr Chintimbwe said that the terminal was not "sinking" per se, but that "isolated structural blemishes in the form of cracks had been identified
at the airport", warranting a restoration programme to remedy them in order "to
maintain the structural integrity of the facility.”
"According to Chintimbwe, NACL will start the repairs of the isolated cracks in the current terminal as soon as the new international passenger terminal has been completed. Construction of the new international terminal building started in 2010 and is set to be completed by July this year."
Source [BTN]
A report by online journal, Zambia Reports in early February, had quoted Mr Chintimbwe as saying to a Zambian Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Communication that the airport was sinking after "developing cracks and that there is need to work on it urgently ahead of the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general conference", due in August.
Construction of a USD12Million dollar new international terminal building was launched in 2010 with the development to come in three phases. The first phase, costing USD6.6million, entailed the construction of a new terminal building concourse, administration wing, departure lounge and all core commercial areas and access roads.
Under the second phase, construction of the arrivals hall, drop off zone and the walkways were to be done at an estimated cost of USD5.13million, while the final phase will entail the construction of the current concourse and segments of both the arrivals and departure halls.
Upon completion of the whole project, the current terminal building will be consigned to a domestic terminal.
The new international terminal is designed to hold projected growth in passenger movement up to 2029.
