Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2018-02-14

Master Plan for the Development of the Ratmalana Airport

- The Ratmalana Airport, being the first international airport in Sri Lanka was operating as the major international airport up to the year 1969. The airport which has been located very close to the major commercial city in Colombo, with easy access to all the main roads, presently operates around 70 domestic aircraft movements per day, the airport serves domestic aviation needs including commercial passenger flights, Aviation Training, International Commercial Aircrafts and the arrangement of VIP and VVIP movements, humanitarian missions during national crisis situations and conducts the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) operational activities, as well. The number of flight operations conducted are rapidly increasing and to suit the situation, considering the Colombo centered development projects, the existing capacity of the airport is required to be improved.

As such, the proposal made by Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, to implement the Master Development Plan of the 'Way to 2030' incorporating the strategic plans to be implemented from 2018 to 2030, prepared for the improvement of the Ratmalana Airport as an Airport providing efficient domestic and international flight services, was approved by the Cabinet.