The Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) has invited firms to tender for the construction of the second runway at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi.
The project was first announced in 2013. The plan, partially funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB), entails the construction of a 4.8km long and 75 metre wide runway in line with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Category Two standards, including connecting taxiways, additional parking stands for aircraft, and an air rescue firefighting unit.
Last November, AfDB approved a $160 million (Sh16.1 billion) loan for the project earlier estimated at Sh37 billion. Its construction had been scheduled to begin in June this year.
“(The government) intends to apply part of the proceeds of this loan for construction of the second runway at JKIA,” said KAA on Tuesday in a notice posted on dailies.
“The procurement of civil works will be carried out under open competitive bidding with post qualification of contractors.”
The project is designed to improve reliability of air transport to and from JKIA by reducing delays at peak hours and costly flight diversions arising from incidents on the existing runway. It also involves reconfiguration of the existing single runway that impedes the airport's operational efficiency.
“The project will reduce mishaps on the path as it will nearly double the aircraft movement from 25 to 45 aeroplanes per hour. Moreover, the technology will enable operations in bad weather, thus avoiding diversion of aircraft,” said KAA chief executive officer Jonny Andersen last year.
The existing single runway is operating at Category Flights Conditions level one (CAT-1) with a width of 45 metres and length of 4.1km.
The planned upgrade will raise JKIA to world class standards, according to KAA and see it handle new generation extra-wide-bodied aeroplanes such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing B747-800.