The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has undertaken a project for asphalt concrete overlay on the runways of Jashore, Saidpur and Rajshahi airports, a planning ministry official said.
The project involving Tk 5.45 billion is aimed at ensuring safe take-off and landing of planes.
The CAAB submitted the development project proforma (DPP) to the government seeking the fund in October last year, which is now under consideration, said the official.
The DPP now awaits approval of the project evaluation committee (PEC), he added.
Under the project, the thickness of asphalt concrete overlay on the Jashore airport runway will be 280mm, while it will be 210mm for the Saidpur airport runway and 270mm for the runway of Shah Makhdum Airport in Rajshahi.
Also, the airfield ground lighting (AGL) system will be upgraded along with improvement of runway side stripe and drainage system.
The Jashore airport has been in operation over the last 50 years as a domestic airport, said the official.
"Its runway is 8600 ft long and 180 ft wide. The lifespan of the bituminous carpeting came to an end many years ago," he added.
Cracks are being developed along with undulations on the surface of the runway over time, the official said, wishing not to be named.
The daily flight frequency has reached about nine at the airport, with many shrimp fry cargo freighters operating there. The CAAB expects that the number of passengers will increase significantly in the near future, he added.
The number of total flights in 2010 was 875 and they carried 49,640 passengers. In 2017, the numbers of flights and passengers stood at 5010 and 1,58,300 respectively.
Saidpur airport, another busiest airport of the country, was constructed four decades ago. At present, about 15 flights are operated a day.
In 2012, the airport witnessed 1,110 flights that carried 12,430 passengers. The numbers of flights and passengers jumped to 4,110 and 3,30,895 respectively in 2017. The length of the runway is 6800 ft and its width is 120 ft along with the shoulder.
The pebbles have come off the bituminous carpeting and depression and cracks have developed on the runway due to repeated use of the runway by overloaded aircraft, said the official.
The runway of Shah Makhdum Airport is 6600 ft long and 120 ft wide.
Four passenger aircraft operate a day from this airport which was built three decades ago.
In 2012, a total of 3,106 passengers used this airport and their number soared to 50,776 in 2017.
The CAAB has kept the runways operational by only carrying out repairing work, sources said, adding that such condition of the runways poses risks for aircraft.
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