The government has once again rightly reactivated the proposal to launch the much looked forward Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) facility for the Mattala Rajapaksa International airport (MRIA).
State Minister of Aviation and Export Zones Development, D. V. Chanaka, speaking to Daily News Finance said that under the new proposal the government will lay the foundation for the MRO. “Together with Airport & Aviation Sri Lanka Ltd (AASL) and SriLankan Airlines, the government will initially fund US$ 50 million to build the key infrastructure at MRIA for the MRO facility early next year.”
 Minister, D. V. Chanaka |
“We will then invite a reputed foreign MRO player after calling for international tenders to work with the government,” he said.
The Minister said once the MRO is formulated it will be one of the biggest foreign exchange earners to Sri Lanka and would also create high earning jobs for youth in the aviation sector. This proposal was floated almost a decade ago by AASL and SriLankan Airlines management but never got off the ground.
In addition to encouraging cargo movements the government will invest around Rs. 50 million to build a new cargo building in the Bandaranaike Airport premises and some Ministry of Aviation offices too would be moved into this.
“We are also planning to build a bonded warehouse at the end of this year as a Private Public Partnership for which tenders would be called in December.”
Asked for plans to reduce Sri Lanka’s ground handling charges which are one of the highest in the region, he said that they have several plans. “One is to obtain fuel at a special concessionary rate from Ceylon Petroleum and offer that benefit to airlines.”
Once this is finalised, a special concession package too would be offered to local exporters.
The Minister also said that the USD 306 million Japanese funded Phase II of the Bandaranaike International Airport Expansion project also had finally commenced last week and is to be completed in three years. This is Sri Lanka’s biggest government funded development project. The construction of the new multi-level passenger terminal building will increase the passenger handling capacity of the BIA from the current 6 to 15 million passengers per year.
Commenting on the development of the BIA runway he said that currently there were no immediate plans towards it. Airing his views on the development of the Ratmalana Airport he said they were currently talking to a company to launch an airline training school. He said that under the aviation act only SriLankan and AASL could operate ground handling and the AASL is likely to operate ground handling operations in Ratmalana soon.
Minister Chanaka said that other domestic airports too would be developed to meet future demands of the post COVID-19 local aviation sector demands.
