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| Saturday, 04 September 2004 |
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National Civil Aviation Policy soon - Mangala by Kumarasiri Prasad Ports, Aviation and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera said on Thursday that his Ministry hoped to formulate a National Policy on Civil Aviation with the help of US and Indian experts soon and transform the Ratmalana Airport into a Regional International Airport by 2005. The Minister who opened a new Public Information Centre and a new building of the Maintenance Department at the Bandaranaike International Airport, said the Katunayake Airport Modernisation Project was first launched by President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in 1998. The President's objective in launching this project was to transform Katunayake into an airport with most modern facilities like air bridges and new technical units, he said. The funding was obtained in 2000 but the project due to be started in 2001 had been delayed till 2003. Construction work had now been accelerated consequent to the UPFA Government victory and they hoped to open a most modern airport equipped with 12 air bridges by October next year. The Minister said they hoped to open the new arrivals terminal this October under the President's patronage. The Minister said he had received complaints regarding a certain airport taxi service allegedly acting like a 'Mafia' and inconveniencing passengers. As Minister in charge of aviation, he hoped to bring these taxi services operating under political patronage to order or else cancel their permits in the passengers interests. The Minister said once Ratmalana was transformed into a regional international airport, it would handle flights to the Asian region including India and Male. Feasibility studies were now under way for the proposed second international airport to be built in Koggala on a 900-acre plot in the Habaraduwa area. The government has also planned to develop Weerawila, Ampara and Anuradhapura airports, he said. Samaraweera also inaugurated an intercity bus service between Katunayake and Colombo. Chairman, Airport and Aviation Services Ltd., M. L. A. M. Hisbullah, Vice-Chairman K. Alles and Managing Director Shalitha Wijesundere were also present. |
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