Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal costing Rs. 1.95 billion, to develop Palaly Airport to operate regional commercial flights, the second on the project after it was first approved in October last year, ;latest media reports outlined. The project aims to develop the capacity of the airport to operate commercial flights, focused on operating domestic commercial flights to develop tourism.
Accordingly the airport, located in Kankesanthurai, is set to be developed by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) as per the proposal presented by Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe as Minister of National Policies, Economic Affairs, Resettlements and Rehabilitation, Northern Province Development, Vocational Training and Skills Development and Youth Affairs.
However reports outlined that similar proposal was approved on 23 October last year by the Prime Minister in his capacity as the Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs, then Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs Minister John Amaratunga, and then Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, to develop Palaly Airport for scheduled domestic commercial passenger operations, and to carry out the developments activities of the said Airport expeditiously by the Sri Lanka Air Force with an investment of Rs. 1,965 million. But according to reports that cabinet paper proposed to utilize funds from the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka.
Reports noted that the Cabinet paper had to be resubmitted as the proposal did not get confirmed by the same Cabinet. Reports quoted officials saying that “At present, the proposal is to share the cost of development between the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the Tourism Ministry”.
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