News
BIA new terminal: From banana back to lotus at heavy cost
A government decision to change the design of the proposed passenger terminal at the Bandaranaike International Airport — once again back to 2012 from the shape of a banana leaf to the lotus flower shape — is to cost millions of rupees.
The previous government changed the 2012 lotus flower shape to a banana leaf shape.
Initial estimates show that the change of the design alone will cost an additional Rs 35 million while the cost for the structural changes is currently being estimated.
Approval to revise the plan to go ahead with the louts flower shape design was given by the Government after the previous Yahapalana government changed the initial lotus shape plan to a banana leaf shape at a cost of Rs 600 million.
The project was initially due to begin in 2012 when Mahinda Rajapaksa was the President, but had been delayed due to a range of issues including the high cost estimated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The project which is due to be completed in three years is back on track now.
However, the project has run into further problems with the Government being forced to find a fresh location and an investor for the construction of the car park after permission had been granted to construct a road in the original location of the proposed car park.
The Sunday Times learns that the airport’s design, planning and engineering unit had granted permission for the road construction project, despite the location being earmarked for the car park project.
The Government in addition to suffering a revenue loss will now be required to construct the car park under a Public Private Partnership or a Build Operate and Transfer system.
A cabinet paper is to be submitted next week, seeking approval for the construction of the car park which is estimated to cost Rs four billion. This is in contrast to the Rs 2.1 billion estimated earlier.
Aviation Minister Prasanna Ranatunga has ordered an inquiry as to how the area reserved for the car park had been released for a road construction project.
The overall project of the BIA’s second terminal is estimated to cost Rs 108 billion and to be completed in three years. The terminal is expected to handle nine million passengers annually.