President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov took part in the ceremonial opening of the new International Airport near the city of Jebel in the Balkan velayat. The modern aviation complex, designed to service 100 passengers per hour, will strengthen the region's transport infrastructure and provide additional opportunities for the development of international cooperation, the “Neutral Turkmenistan” online newspaper reports.

The airport was built by order of the “Türkmenhowaýollary” Agency by specialists from the private enterprise Gündogdy. The airport is located 20 kilometers northwest of the administrative center of the Balkan velayat, the city of Balkanabat, and 4 kilometers from the famous mud resort Mollakara, which will significantly increase its transport accessibility for those in need of medical and health treatments.

According to the newspaper, with the commissioning of the airport, the historically significant branch of the Great Silk Road Amul-Hazar has been revived in a modern format of air communication: Turkmenabad-Ashgabat-Balkanabad-Turkmenbashy, crossing the territory of the country from east to west. The geographical location of the facility provides convenient communication with the nearby Ashgabat-Turkmenbashy highway and railway. In the future, it is planned to build a new railway station Jebel.

The created transport infrastructure opens up additional opportunities for the logistical development of the region and the diversification of routes leading to world markets. The airport's cargo terminal, capable of handling up to 200 tons of cargo, will significantly reduce the time it takes to transport goods to their destinations.