• The Government pays a special attention to complete the ongoing development projects in the country on time.
• Instructions to complete the Package ‘A’ Project of the Katunayake Airport on time.

Minister. Prasanna Ranathunga

The Minister of Tourism, Prasanna Ranathunga states that the government has paid a special attention to the completion of ongoing development projects in the country on time. He also further points out that the development project of the Katunayake Airport Package ‘A’ Work should be complete in due course.

The Minister emphasized this in a special discussion on the progress of the Package ‘A’ project at the Katunayake Airport at the Ministry yesterday (14).

The Katunayake Airport Package ‘A’ Project is the Phase II of the Katunayake Airport Expansion Project. It is also the largest development project initiated in the country in 2020. The construction of the Package ‘A’ project was abandoned by the previous Yahaplana government; even though the construction was scheduled to be commenced in 2014 and it was to be completed within three years and the project was commenced under the patronage of then HE the President, Mahinda Rajapaksa and former Japanese HE the Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe. The project was restarted on November 18, 2020, after the current government came to power.

Under this, the passenger handling capacity of the Katunayake Airport will be increased to 15 million per year. A new passenger terminal, elevated road ways, finger piers, waste water and solid waste disposal system, a compost system with a bio-gas plant and a five-storied car park will be constructed under this. The project has a cumulative value of 41,553,891,286 Japanese Yen (JPY) (41,553 Mn) and LKR. 35,135,843,333 (35,135 Mn).

The Minister Prasanna Ranatunga drew the attention to the problems that have arisen during the construction of this project and decided to refer them to the General Treasury and the Ministry of Finance. Further, it was also decided to hold a special discussion with the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance in this regard.

The Minister further stated that the stance of the government is that development projects in the country should not be hampered due to the global pandemic. Therefore, the Minister instructed the contract company not to delay the constructions and also advised the officials of the Airport and Aviation Services Company to identify those issues immediately and assist them to resolve such issues.

State Minister, Hon. D.V. Chanaka, Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism, Mr. S. Hettiarachchi, Secretary to the State Ministry of Aviation and Export Zones Development, Mr.Janaka Sri Chandraguptha, Additional Secretary to the Ministry, Mr.Sunil Gunawardana, and Vice Chairman of Airport and Aviation Services Sri Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd. (AASL), Mr.Rajiv Sooriyaarachchi and a few others were present in this discussion.