Passenger arrivals and departures have reached nearly 25,000, causing severe congestion at the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), statistics reveal.
While construction of a second terminal to resolve the issue has been launched, the Airport and Aviation Services Ltd. will install a prefabricated terminal as a temporary measure to ease congestion.
The authorities say it can be completed within six months. The prefabricated terminal will be used for domestic flight operations after the completion of construction work of the second terminal at the BIA.
Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva, made an inspection tour of the construction site last week.
The Chairman of Airport and Aviation Maj. Gen. (Rtd.) G. A. Chandrasiri and several officials were present.
Minister de Silva said, the Airport authorities are ready to facilitate the large number of passengers expected transit through the BIA in the near future with practical solutions using available resources. An increased number of flights have been planned at the Palali Airport in Jaffna and Mattala Airport in Hambantota to ease the pressure at the BIA. The installation of the pre-fabricated terminal is due to be completed within six months.