JICA assures funding to re-commence BIA’s second terminal soon

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has assured that the agreement regarding the construction of the second passenger terminal at the Katunayake, Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) will be implemented immediately after the completion of Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring programme.

The JICA has suspended the loan due to Sri Lanka’s economic recession and bankrupt state, but as a result of long discussions with the Japanese government and the JICA, steps have been taken to re-start the project immediately after the debt restructuring is completed Shipping and Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

He pointed out that after the implementation of the agreement, construction of the second passenger terminal at Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, will be completed.

The Minister said that the construction work of the mini passenger terminal is expected to be completed within six months.

The plan is to build this new terminal to reduce the congstion arising in the handling of passengers currently at the Bandaranaike International Airport. The airport staff had to handle 10 million passengers in 2018 through the terminal which currently handles only six million passengers per year. The passengers had to face delays to get their luggage released.

The government aims to handle around 25,000 passengers per day at the Bandaranaike International Airport and for that, the need for a new terminal has arisen. Accordingly, the construction of the second terminal has become necessary. In addition, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva pointed out that steps have been taken to improve the facilities at the Katunayake Airport for the convenience of passengers.

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