According to the Public Relations Department of the Payam Special Economic Zone and International Airport, Mohsen Hasanlou, during a press conference at the news headquarters of the 29th ELECOMP International Exhibition, while explaining the development programs of the Payam Special Economic Zone and International Airport, stated: The completion of air transport infrastructures has been pursued with seriousness in the recent period, and transforming Payam into a specialized air cargo airport is one of the important missions of this organization.
He added: In this regard, obtaining the necessary permits from the Civil Aviation Organization, developing radar and navigation systems, purchasing and equipping ground handling services, and obtaining the Payam air border permit have been placed on the agenda, and a significant portion of these actions has been completed.
Three Domestic and Three International Flights in Payam’s Program
Referring to the planning for the development of flights at Payam Airport, Hasanlou stated: Three domestic flights to Mashhad, Kish, and Ahvaz destinations, and three international flights to Najaf, Jeddah, and Istanbul destinations have been predicted.
He continued: The contracts related to these flights have been concluded, and the necessary permits are in the final stages, and efforts are being made to establish these flights on a scheduled basis at Payam Airport.
The CEO of Payam emphasized: Simply constructing buildings and creating physical infrastructures for specialized customs or an airport is not enough; air transport infrastructures and related services must also be placed alongside them to create a real competitive advantage for the organization.
ICT Specialized Customs; A Driver Project for Payam
Hasanlou titled the ICT specialized customs as one of the driver projects of the Payam Special Economic Zone and said: This project has had a cabinet resolution for about the past eight years, but no effective action had been taken for its implementation.
He added: In the recent period, the necessary actions for the implementation of this project, including the creation of specialized laboratories, the presence of representatives from the Communications Regulatory Authority, and the training of customs appraisers, have been carried out, and the project now has 57 percent progress.
The CEO of Payam continued: In the section of building construction, the tender has been held, the contractor has been selected, and the site has been equipped, and the executive operations of the project are underway.
He expressed hope that the ICT-specialized customs would officially be put into operation on February 11.
Hasanlou said: Launching this customs office can help in reducing the duration of goods clearance and reducing the costs and import tariffs of equipment in the field of information technology and communications.
440 Investment Contracts in Payam
Referring to the investment trend in the Payam Special Economic Zone, he stated: During the past 30 years, a total of 440 investment contracts have been concluded in Payam, and 100 of those contracts have been registered in the recent period.
Hasanlou added: Of these numbers, 64 contracts were in the field of information technology and communications, which shows Payam’s serious approach in developing the digital economy and realizing the goals of the higher-level documents, including the Seventh Development Plan.
He continued: Of the total of approximately 230 hectares of land allocated during the past 30 years, 80 hectares have been allocated to investors in the recent period.
Allocation of $252 Million for Supplying Raw Materials
Referring to the actions taken to facilitate the activities of production units, the CEO of Payam stated: Despite the country’s currency problems, approximately 252 million dollars has been allocated to supply raw materials for the units located in Payam.
He added: In the past, the currency allocation queue in Payam reached about 400 days at one point, but today the currency allocation process has become almost up-to-date, and the remaining cases are mainly related to applicants who were unable to provide their Rial-based supply.
Development of Payam Special Economic Zone Infrastructures
Referring to the development of the zone’s infrastructure, Hasanlou stated: Significant actions have been taken in the fields of water, sewage, gas, and communications, and Phases One to Four of the complex are fully benefiting from these infrastructures.
He added: A portion of the Phase Five infrastructures is also at the disposal of investors, and the completion of the remaining parts is underway.
The CEO of Payam also announced the development of approximately 45 hectares of the complex in the past year and said: This action is considered one of the largest developmental phases of Payam since the formation of this organization.
Completion of the Access Road to Payam
Referring to the importance of access routes in the development of the zone’s economic activities, Hasanlou stated: The access road from the end of the Yadegar-e-Imam Expressway to Payam has progressed about 2.5 kilometers during the past year, and about 3 more kilometers remain until the full connection of this route to Payam.
He added: The amount of cargo transit in Payam has a high dependency on the access network, and the completion of this route can facilitate the entry and exit of goods and investors.
Hasanlou also announced the implementation of the 90-meter boulevard as an entrance to the Payam Special Economic Zone and said: The separation of the access routes of the airport and the special economic zone is also on the agenda.
Support for Knowledge-Based Companies and ICT Activists
Referring to the status of the companies located in the zone, the CEO of Payam stated: At the beginning of the new management’s activity, several companies with physical progress of above 85 to 90 percent could not operate due to the unreadiness of some infrastructures.
He added: Over the past year and a half, 50 companies have entered the cycle of activity, and the completion of the establishment process of other companies will also be pursued this year.Hasanlou emphasized: Knowledge-based companies and ICT activists in the Payam complex have priority, and supporting these companies in providing their required infrastructure is being pursued.
Stopping the Collection of Rent for the Period of Companies’ Activity Restrictions
In response to a question regarding companies that could not operate due to security requirements and the conditions arising from the 12-day war and Ramadan, Hasanlou said: For the period during which these companies could not operate due to imposed restrictions, rent will not be collected.
He added: In cases where money has been received by mistake, after investigation, the related amounts will be refunded or credited to the company’s account.
At the end, the CEO of the Payam Special Economic Zone and International Airport, emphasizing the necessity of the simultaneous completion of airport, customs, and transport infrastructures, concluded: The ongoing projects in Payam are defined as complementary, so that upon their operation, the economic, industrial, and technological capacities of this complex will become more active than before.