Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and Acting Head of the Altai Republic, Chairman of the Government of the Altai Republic Andrei Turchak during a meeting at the airport. Photo: Dmitry Astakhov/POOL/TASS
The popularity of holidays in Altai is growing every year, but the service and capabilities of the tourist infrastructure are still not up to par. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who flew to Gorno-Altaisk, was able to see this for himself. This is the last stop on his tour of the Far East and Siberia.
In particular, the Gorno-Altaysk airport is in need of reconstruction.
“It’s sad to see this small airport,” Mishustin said.
The airport can now handle only 100,000 passengers a year, but almost 10 times more tourists arrive in Altai. As a result, the airport has been operating above its capacity for several years. The concept for the reconstruction of the airport has already been approved. Thanks to the construction of the new terminal, the airport’s capacity will increase to 1.2-1.5 million passengers a year. In addition, the airport will become international and will start receiving guests from other countries.
The airport runway will be extended by 500 meters and a new lighting system and navigation equipment will be installed. The number of parking spaces for large aircraft will be increased from 4 to 21. A main taxiway will be built along the runway. The design of the new building will use unique elements characteristic of the nature and customs of the region, and the building itself will be carefully integrated into the mountainous natural landscape.
Presentation of the Gorno-Altaysk airport complex reconstruction project. Photo: Dmitry Astakhov/POOL/TASS
According to Sberbank Deputy Director Stanislav Kuznetsov, the airport reconstruction may begin earlier than planned: not in 2025, as originally planned, but at the end of this year.
– We have a concession agreement between the Federal Air Transport Agency and the airport, which is scheduled for March 2025. We have every opportunity to shift these deadlines “to the left” to start this year,” Kuznetsov said.
– It is very important that today a private investor thinks with all his heart about how to build an airport at the level of the most modern and advanced technologies. We will definitely support everything that is primarily related to the speed of work. But the main thing is safety and quality. Good luck! “I wish everything to work out,” Mishustin replied.
It should be recalled that according to the government’s plans, 75 airports in Russia are to be renovated by 2030. The reconstruction is being carried out, among other things, through private investment.
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