Construction on the proposed second terminal for the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) is expected to resume soon, with the necessary loan facility expected to be provided by next month.
Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd. (AASL), Eng. Athula Galketiya said negotiations with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) are underway, and they are expected to provide the necessary loan facility by next month as promised.
“We plan to issue tenders by mid-September, begin construction by mid-next year, and complete it by the end of 2028, aiming to accommodate about 9 million more passengers,” he noted.
Eng. Athula Galketiya further said by July 2024, there will be 4.3 million international passenger movements, and they anticipate that this number will reach around 9 million by the end of the next six months, reflecting a 26.10% growth compared to July 2023.
He also noted that international air traffic increased by 24.50% by June 2024 compared to June 2023, while air cargo movement rose by 28.96% in the same period.
“Our terminal handled approximately 10.8 million air passengers in 2018, but there are challenges in providing adequate facilities. Therefore, many short-term and long-term measures are currently being implemented to improve facilities for 8 to 9 million passengers,” he said.
Eng. Athula Galketiya revealed that the tender aims to improve the departure area of the first external terminal, with the award likely happening next month.
He further said that additionally, 30 more counters will be added to the departure area of the new building, along with the construction of four e-gates each for arrivals and departures, streamlining the immigration and emigration processes. (Newswire)