Photo: Uzbekistan Airports JSC
Uzbekistan has concluded a tender for the construction and management of New Bukhara International Airport. A consortium comprising Turkey’s Limak Insaat Sanayi ve Ticaret and Qatar’s Hamad Bin Khalid Contracting Company won the bidding process, according to the press service of Uzbekistan Airports JSC.
The project is being carried out as a public-private partnership (PPP) under the build-transfer-operate (BTO) model.
Under the agreement, the winning consortium must construct a new passenger terminal with a capacity of 1,200 travelers per hour, a forecourt, and parking facilities with supporting infrastructure. The public partner will remain responsible for the construction and management of the airfield complex, including the runway and apron.
According to Uzbekistan Airports, the next phase will involve signing a 23-year PPP agreement. Under the contract, construction work will take no more than three years. The total cost of the project was not disclosed.
“Bukhara is one of Central Asia’s oldest cities, with a history spanning over two millennia, and its historic center was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993. The new airport is designed to handle rising passenger traffic and expand the region’s international air links. <…> We are confident that the team implementing the project in Bukhara will establish modern infrastructure and a passenger-friendly hub, boost the region’s appeal to international travelers, and broadly advance Uzbekistan’s aviation sector,” Uzbekistan Airports said in a statement.
Officials from the Uzbek airport operator also highlighted the credentials of the consortium members. Turkey’s Limak currently operates airports in Pristina, Kosovo, and Dakar, Senegal. The company also participated in the construction of Istanbul Airport and is currently building facilities at Cairo International Airport in Egypt, as well as a new passenger terminal in Kuwait.
Regarding the Qatari partner, the agency noted that the company served as the main contractor for Qatar’s Lusail Stadium, which hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup final.
