BIA Phase II project to commence soon
Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE
Phase II of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) development
and expansion project would commence soon, Civil Aviation Minister
Priyankara Jayarathne said.
The minister addressing the media said that the BIA would provide air
passengers with the latest facilities and services with the completion
of the second phase. Under this development and expansion project, a new
passenger bridge would be constructed. The bridge would comprise eight
passenger terminals.
The BIA presently have only one passenger bridge which has only eight
passenger terminals. With the construction of the new passenger bridge
at the BIA, the passenger terminal capacity would increase to16.
In addition, other facilities available at the airport would
significantly be improved.
Accordingly, a duty free shopping complex too would be constructed
together with many other facilities, the minister said.
Japan's Jica project was assisting the project financially, by
providing a soft loan facility of Yen 29,000 million (Rs 47,560
million).
Airport Chairman Prasanna Wickramasooriya said that the passenger
handling capacity would increase from 6 million to 12 million per annum
with the completion of Phase II.
As a result of the peaceful atmosphere prevailing in the country,
many airlines have requested to travel to Sri Lanka.
Therefore, it was important that the number of passenger terminals be
increased, while increasing other facilities too, he added.
Minister Jayarathne further said that the Ratmalana Airport would be
developed as a city airport, so as to operate parallel with the BIA.
Small aeroplanes, which now operate to and from BIA, would operate
from Ratmalana Airport once it was developed as a city airport. Hence
the development project would commence with immediate effect.
Besides, two inland airports too would be constructed in Kandy and
Nuwara Eliya this year. Lands have been selected for the Kandy inland
airport, while suitable land was being sought for the Nuwara Eliya
airport.
These two inland airports would be commissioned this year, Minister
Jayarathne added. |