PALALI TO BE DEVELOPED AS AN INT’L AIRPORT

The Government plans to develop the Palali airport in Jaffna as an international airport at a cost of Rs.20 billion and the construction work is to begin at the end of this year.

The length of the Palali runway is to be expanded to 3,500 metres and it will have the capability to handle large passenger aircraft such as Airbus A320.

This was revealed during a meeting regarding the development of the airport held under the patronage of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in Palali, Jaffna.

The strategically located Palali airport when developed will be capable of handling direct flights to countries like India, Australia, China, Japan, Middle-East and several European nations.

Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Arjuna Ranatunga stated that the development of the Palali airport will bring unprecedented benefits to the people of the North as it will spur tourism in the region and create business and job opportunities.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe during the meeting instructed officials to give priority to the expansion of the runway and related facilities at the first stage of the construction.

He said that initially, temporary buildings can be used for arrival and departure terminals and pointed out that this is widely practiced in a lot of countries.

The Premier noted that it was feasible to go for permanent terminal buildings during the second stage and once the airport attracts significant amount of air traffic.

Subjects such as electricity, water, access roads, construction of fuel storage facilities etc. were discussed at length.

The Prime Minister stated that the development of the North is a high priority for the government and an international airport in the peninsula would boost the economy in the region greatly.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was in the former war battered North during the last few days to evaluate the progress of the development projects implemented in the Province.