With construction of second airport in Hambantota:

Sri Lanka targets air traffic hub in Asia

Sanjeevi JAYASURIYA

Sri Lanka could become an air traffic hub in the Asian region with the construction of the second international airport at Mattala, Hambantota and the proposed upgrading at the Katunayake International Airport. With the dawn of peace a boom in the tourist industry is expected and passenger traffic and cargo volumes would increase, National Chamber of Sri Lanka, Shipping, Ports and Aviation Committee Chairman, Sujeiva Samaraweera told Daily News Business.

The second airport would help position the country as a hub for cargo and passengers. It could also act as an emergency airport.

Steps need to be taken to harness the potential in offering the facility of a transit point and non-stop flights and attract more airlines. For this we need to have an additional runway at Katunayake, he said.

The Government has formulated a national aviation policy to be implemented shortly.

The policy will include aviation safety, air space management, aviation as a tool for economic prosperity, infrastructure management, environment concerns and a range of short, medium and long term initiatives.

The National Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka supports the Government’s effort and the policy is a timely move.

We need to continuously grow in the international aviation industry to become the port city of the world. This would help high tech development and also related industry growth, he said.

The Hambantota Airport is strategically important to the country as there is an industrial seaport also being constructed. There is ample land in Hambantota for development and expand inbuilt facilities and value addition. All these activities will create investment opportunities and industrial growth, he said.

With the seaport and airport being constructed in Hambantota, it is necessary to develop related infrastructure facilities including roads, railway, transportation and services.

A proper logistical framework would benefit the community socially as well as economically, he said.

The steps taken by the Government to upgrade all domestic airports is an important move as foreigners and locals would patronize the service with the growth in the tourism sector.

The Hambantota seaport and airport are well positioned and integrated development would provide an impetus for economic and social development in the country, he said.