Sri Lanka opens construction site of second international airport for public view

Sri Lanka Ministry of Ports and Aviation has planned to provide facilities for the public to view the construction of Sri Lanka's second international airport.

Accordingly, the construction site of the Maththala airport in the Hambanthota district will be open for public view from November, says the Deputy Minister of Ports and Aviation Rohitha Abeygunawardana.

The airport being built has a 3.5 kilometers long and 75 meters wide runway. It is to be opened for flight operations in 2012.
The new airport will be constructed on a plot of 2,000 hectares in Hambantota district at a cost of US$200 million. The Government of the People's Republic of China provides financial assistance for the project with a soft loan.
When completed the new airport, alternative to the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake, will support both international and domestic travel and air-sea cargo transshipment in conjunction with the Hambanthota Harbor.
The construction site of the Hambanthota harbor became a hot spot for the local tourists and school students in the past few months and the authorities expect the airport site will be the same.