QUETTA: The test flight from new Gwadar International Airport would be started from December this year as the construction work on site has been expedited, an official of Gwadar Development Authority said. The new $246m green field Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) being built at an area of 4,300 acres would be made operational before the deadline which was September 2023, the official said.

The government has expanded the 50-bed Pak-China Friendship Hospital Gwadar to 150 beds state-of-the-art medical centre in order to ensure best health care facilities for the people of Gwadar. The authority would ensure state-of-the-art free medical facility to the inhabitants of port city of Gwadar from January next year, he said.

The quarters concerned were making all out efforts to expedite the infrastructure and development projects for its timely completion. The GDA said the authority has expedited the implementation of old town rehabilitation plan of Gwadar to provide best infrastructure and provide every facility to masses of port city. With the support of federal government, the project worth Rs 3.3 billion for old town rehabilitation of Gwadar was in full swing to set city on modern lines to end the sense of deprivation among the people of area, he added.

The federal government would be funded 67% shares of the total cost while Balochistan government would bear the remaining cost for the development of old town rehabilitation under the Gwadar development plan. Under the plan, water drainage, supply and distribution of utility projects would be completed soon, besides ensuring the supply of clean drinking water to the port dwellers.

The official said the water supply to Gwadar would be resolved in the short period of three months as desalination plant is also in progress to curtail the need of whole city. He said the authorities asked to strictly adhere to Gwadar Master Plan while carrying out development and other public welfare projects in the city.

The departments concerned were making all out efforts to expedite the infrastructure and development projects for its timely completion in Gwadar. He said there were vast investment opportunities in every sector and comprehensive strategy would be adopted to attract investors in this regard.