The minister addressing the media said that the BIA would provide air passengers with the latest facilities and services with the completion of the second phase. Under this development and expansion project, a new passenger bridge would be constructed. The bridge would comprise eight passenger terminals.

The BIA presently have only one passenger bridge which has only eight passenger terminals. With the construction of the new passenger bridge at the BIA, the passenger terminal capacity would increase to16.

In addition, other facilities available at the airport would significantly be improved.

Accordingly, a duty free shopping complex too would be constructed together with many other facilities, the minister said.

Japan's Jica project was assisting the project financially, by providing a soft loan facility of Yen 29,000 million (Rs 47,560 million).

Airport Chairman Prasanna Wickramasooriya said that the passenger handling capacity would increase from 6 million to 12 million per annum with the completion of Phase II.

As a result of the peaceful atmosphere prevailing in the country, many airlines have requested to travel to Sri Lanka.

Therefore, it was important that the number of passenger terminals be increased, while increasing other facilities too, he added.

Minister Jayarathne further said that the Ratmalana Airport would be developed as a city airport, so as to operate parallel with the BIA.

Small aeroplanes, which now operate to and from BIA, would operate from Ratmalana Airport once it was developed as a city airport. Hence the development project would commence with immediate effect.

Besides, two inland airports too would be constructed in Kandy and Nuwara Eliya this year. Lands have been selected for the Kandy inland airport, while suitable land was being sought for the Nuwara Eliya airport.

These two inland airports would be commissioned this year, Minister Jayarathne added.