Aerocivil carries out works in 23 airports in the country: which ones are they and how much has been invested

Civil Aeronautics advances works at the various airports in order to improve connectivity between the regions, and also to expand their capacity to meet the increased demand of foreign travelers arriving in the national territory, a number that grows by more than 20% monthly, a relevant figure considering the historical increase in travelers in this segment in 2023.

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In his calculations, The total investment in the 23 airports is $763,768 million and meet the infrastructure needs under its responsibility.

The airport with the largest investment is Gulf of Morrosquillo de Tolú with $133,757 milliona project that is currently in the contractual stage and should be ready by June 2026. The contract includes the improvement, expansion and construction of the runway, the platform, the safety strips and complementary works.

This is followed by the airport work. Antonio Nariño in Pasto, a contract that is currently suspended but which has had a physical progress of 92%. The investment of $58.805 million would be used to rehabilitate the runway, carry out drainage works and routine maintenance of the airside and ground areas of the infrastructure.

Very close to the capital is the airport El Embrujo in Providencia, which had an investment of $58,542 million and 51.8% physical progress. This work, to create a new terminal, platform and related infrastructure, was due to be delivered in May 2023, however, due to difficulties in the arrival of materials to the island, its progress has been affected. However, Aerocivil has not provided further details as to why the delay occurred.

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In this municipality, the air authority is also advancing two more contracts for more than $19 billion, one for the construction of the control tower and the audit for $16.109 billion, which is 50% complete, and another that is in the contractual stage for $2.9 billion for the construction of a ‘box culvert’ at the airport.

In fourth place in terms of resources is the Reyes Murillo Airport in Nuquí, which is seeking to expand the runway and carry out ground and airside maintenance of the infrastructure. This $57.443 million project, which is 45% complete, was to be ready by October 2023.

To close the ‘Top 5’ is the airport of Hacaritama de Aguachica, Cesar, with an investment of $57.3 billion. The project, which is in the pre-construction stage, will be for the construction of the airport terminal and complementary infrastructure. According to estimates, it should be ready by December 2026.

In Villavicencio, the Civil Aeronautics is advancing three contracts in the Vanguardia for $53,600 million, all in the pre-construction stage. The first, of $47 billion, will be for the completion of the construction of the Airport Management Center (CGA) by December 2025; the second, of $5.5 billion, should be for the construction of the SEI (Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Service) barracks and should be ready in December of this year and the third, of $1.1 billion, will be to build the roadbed in areas of the 23rd terminal of the airport (it had to be ready in June of this year).

Another airport with the same number of contracts is Almirante Padilla in Riohacha. In this case, three works are being prepared for $63 billion and all are in the pre-contractual stage. One of them, for $25 billion, is for the construction of the turnaround platforms, the drainage system and the improvement of the airport’s security zones and will be ready in June 2026. Another of the contracts, for $18 billion, is for the construction of the energy substation for visual aids at the airport, which will be ready by June 2025. The third, for $5.05 billion, is for the construction of the SEI base, which should be ready by December of this year.

On the other hand, at the German Olano airport in Puerto Carreño, Two projects are being worked on in the pre-contractual stage for $38 billion. The largest, worth $27 billion, will be for the rehabilitation of the runway, taxiway, channels and safety zones and should be ready in December 2025. The second, worth $11 billion, is for the completion of works on the terminal, complementary infrastructure and electromechanical systems of the airport and should be completed in June 2025.

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In Santander, more exactly at the Palo Negro International Airport, In Bucaramanga, two works worth $31,000 million are being carried outboth with a delivery date of June 2025 and are in the pre-contractual stage. The first contract, worth $25 billion, is for the rehabilitation of channels and improvement of safety strips; the second, worth $6 billion, is for the construction of the approach system, through the supply, installation and commissioning of the airport.

Other municipalities that stand out are Barrancabermeja and Leticia, which have two projects each and an investment of $24.05 billion and $17.856 billion respectively. Regarding the former, both contracts must be completed by the sixth month of 2025; one of the contracts, worth $16 billion, is for the rehabilitation of canals and improvement of safety strips and the construction of the airport travel platform.

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In the case of the capital of the Amazon, The contract, which should be ready in December of this year and which has a cost of $6 billion, is for the construction of the taxiway, hydraulic works and relocation of channels of the new taxiway; the other, which has a value of $11.856 million, is for the construction of cargo warehouses.

Bogotá, Cúcuta, Yopal, Montería, Mompox, Neiva, Pitalito, Florencia, Arauca and San Andrés are the other destinations where the aviation authority is making the most investments.

Paula Galeano Balaguera
Portfolio Journalist