Pidurutalagala tower to expand capacity:

Lanka, a regional aviation hub soon

by Shirajiv SIRIMANE

Airport and Aviation Services Ltd (AASL) has invested Rs. 80 million to expand the range of the Pidurutalagala communications tower, increasing the aircraft flying capacity of the country.

"With the expansion of this tower, more airlines could use this tower, enabling additional aircraft to use Sri Lankan air space", said Chairman AASL, Prasanna Wickramasuriya.

He said their aim, as spelt out by Mahinda Chinthana, is to make Sri Lanka an aviation hub and expanded services from this tower would take the country even closer towards this goal. He said corporate jet arrivals have increased by over 27 percent and the country is badly in need of a second city airport similar to Gatwick in London.

"This is a big revenue generating market and steps are being taken to upgrade Ratmalana to a city airport so that jets could land there instead of at the Colombo airport. "We would have Customs and immigration officials and are on the look out for duty-free retailers as well. Since domestic flights are already operating from Ratmalana, passengers could also take immediate connections if needed," he said.

Wickramasuriya said the hanger charges too would be low and passengers would have better access to Colombo and the South from Ratmalana.

On the Mattala airport, he said that construction is on schedule and they are confident of opening the airport by November 2012. "Over 60 percent of the runway has being laid and 45 percent of the other infrastructure for phase one, costing US$ 2,690 million, has been completed."

"It is very disappointing to note that only five percent of air cargo movements are taking place. This is a very negative scenario and with the opening of the Mattala airport, this situation would change, he said. Since 60 percent of the new airport operations cater to cargo, fresh fruit and vegetables, fisheries, dairy and many other products could be exported. "We are also providing cold storage and warehouse facilities so that even other countries in the region could use the airport for their re- export services".

He said that marketing for the airport is on and the response has been positive.

"We are also promoting the cruise and fly initiative where tourists could arrive on cruise ship at Hambantota airport and take the flight back home from Mattala", Wickramasuriya said.

He said the seaport landing strip in Ja-ela is being constructed while the Colombo Airport development too is progressing at a rapid pace. He said they have to pay over Rs. 60 million per month as energy bills, a major problem they wish to address in the future.

The Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) is also to be expanded as an aviation hub and towards achieving this goal, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa inaugurated the new passenger terminal at the BIA recently.

Civil Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne, MP Sudharshani Fernandopulle and AASL Chairman Prasanna Wickramasuriya were present at the event.