Prime Miniser Mahinda Rajapaksa, Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, State Minister D.V.Chanaka and Japanese Envoy in Colombo Akira Sugiyama at the project launch.

Construction work on the second terminal at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) under the BIA expansion project Phase II was launched yesterday under the patronage of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

This is the part of national programme to develop domestic and international airports in Sri Lanka as envisoned in President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s National Policy Framework “Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour”.

The BIA expansion project was jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa as then President and Japaneese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2014.

However, the project was delayed as the former Government was not interested in the project. It was only after the Government led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa came to power that the project recommenced.

The expansion project which is expected to be completed in three years is funded by Japan making this the largest development project carried out by the Government. The expansion of the airport capacity is the main objective of the construction of this new terminal. The project will be carried out using the latest technology, which enables the implementation of the project in an environment-friendly manner. This new multi-level terminal which covers an area of 180,000 square metres will consists of separate departure and arrival terminals to minimise the congestion of the airport.

The passenger handling capacity of the BIA is also expected to be increased from the current six million to 15 million passengers a year.