Japan says construction of long-delayed airport expansion will begin before November as additional financing arrangements near completion
COLOMBO, Friday – Construction of the long-delayed Terminal 2 development at Bandaranaike International Airport is expected to resume before November, offering fresh momentum to one of Sri Lanka’s most important infrastructure projects after years of disruption and delay.
Japanese authorities have indicated that arrangements for additional financing are being completed, while discussions with the selected contractor have reached their final stages. The development should clear the way for construction work on the new international terminal to restart.
Terminal 2 forms a central component of the BIA expansion programme and is intended to substantially increase passenger-handling capacity at the country’s principal international gateway. Its completion has assumed increasing urgency as Sri Lanka seeks to rebuild tourism and attract substantially higher numbers of visitors.
The airport has for years struggled with congestion during peak periods, while passenger facilities have failed to expand at the same pace as the country’s tourism ambitions. A modern second terminal is intended to increase capacity while improving baggage handling, immigration, passenger circulation and other airport services.
The project also has wider economic significance. Almost every international tourist arriving in Sri Lanka by air passes through BIA, making the quality and capacity of the airport an important part of the country’s tourism product. Airport constraints can also affect airlines considering additional frequencies or new routes into Colombo.
Japan has historically been one of Sri Lanka’s most important development partners and has supported a range of major infrastructure projects. The resumption of Terminal 2 would therefore also mark another step in the restoration of Japanese-backed projects disrupted during Sri Lanka’s economic crisis and sovereign debt default.
Yet the test will ultimately be delivery. The airport expansion has experienced repeated delays, and announcements of revised timelines will matter little unless they translate into sustained construction and a credible completion date.
Sri Lanka has set increasingly ambitious tourism targets. If those ambitions are to be realised, the infrastructure through which visitors enter the country must grow with them. After years spent largely on the ground, Terminal 2 may finally be preparing for take-off.
