THE rain spell on the weekend once again left the ceilings of the Islamabad International Airport (IIA) dripping, a recurring instance ever since the airport became operational two years ago. The video that went viral on the internet shows several spots in the ceiling of the arrival and departure lounges of domestic and international flights started leaking whilst the false ceiling also fell incessantly.
The IIA is yet another classic example of how faulty material is used in the construction of buildings and road infrastructure projects in our country by the contractors and that too with complete impunity. The leakage of ceiling in fact is not the first incident at the IIA but a few months after its inauguration back in 2018 one had witnessed the collapse of a boarding bridge which resulted in the injuries of a few people. This is the airport that was completed at the cost over one hundred billion rupees and multiple deadlines were given for its completion. An impression was also created that it will be a state-of-the-art facility as trustworthy and reliable companies have been engaged for its construction but today all those big claims stand exposed. In the modern days who can deny the importance of airports. They are rightly known as the face of any country. Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha airports are classic example of it and facilitates available there have made them transit hubs. They have evolved from infrastructure providers to complex businesses that produce considerable commercial development well beyond their perimeters. We, therefore, urge the government to think on these lines. The Civil Aviation Authority should immediately find solution to the leakage problem even if involves changing the entire drainage design on the rooftop. Then, it is important that a Committee comprising experts is constituted to examine the whole building and infrastructure of the new airport and fix the loopholes that were left at the time of its construction.
