DUSHANBE, December 3, 2013, Asia-Plus -- The first stage of construction of international terminal at Dushanbe International Airport (DIA) has been completed, Mahmadyusuf Shodiyev, a spokesman for DIA, told Asia-Plus Tuesday afternoon.

“Tajik and French specialists have begun to construct the communication system of the terminal,” Shodiyev said, noting that the state-of-the-art equipment will be installed and it is necessary to train personnel in operating the equipment.

“Presentation of the new equipment and technologies used for registration of passengers and baggage, passport control, and delivery of baggage was held at Dushanbe International Airport on December 2,” Shodiyev noted.

We will recall that an official ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the international terminal at the Dushanbe airport took place on March 19.  French company, VINCI, is the general contractor for construction of the terminal.

According to information posted on VINCI’s website, VINCI Construction Grands Projets and VINCI Airports (VINCI Concessions) signed the €39m design-build contract for a new terminal at Dushanbe International Airport with the DIA (Dushanbe International Airport) company on April 27, 2012.  Responding to a need for increased capacity at the airport, the new terminal will be able to handle 1.5 million passengers a year.  It will provide top-quality services to passengers and airlines, in line with international standards.  VINCI Construction Grands Projets is charged with the design and construction of the building, as well as supplying the operating equipment and systems.  VINCI Airports, for its part, will be assisting the client with the functional definition of the terminal (organization of flows, operational equipment and systems specifications), assisting the airport teams during the planning and works stages, training staff and assisting with the commissioning of the terminal.

The overall space of the international terminal at the Dushanbe airport is expected to be 11,000 square meters and it will able to receive more than 5,000 passengers per hour.  Specialists say the project will bring the Dushanbe airport up to international air traffic standards.