Sri Lanka will ink an MoU with India to the tune of Rs. 300 million to develop the Palaly airport in Jaffna, Minister of Tourism Prasanna Ranatunge said.
The Minister said that he hopes to obtain Cabinet approval for this and the MoU is likely to be signed in two weeks. The funding will largely focus on the expansion of the passenger terminal at the Palali Airport, as well as the luggage inspection area.
Air India and Fits Air operated scheduled flights to Palali, but these operations were halted after the Covid Pandemic.
India earlier pledged to grant a sum of Rs 300 million for the expansion, just weeks after the airport was ceremoniously opened by receiving a flight from Chennai. The MoU has already been drafted.
Minister Ranatunge with State Minister of Aviation and Export Zones Development, D. V. Chanka met Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Bagley and held discussions in this regards.
The trio also discussed tourism promotion from India to Sri Lanka. “Once the Covid pandemic settles India is keen to accept Sri Lanka Buddhist pilgrims to visit the Kununurra Sacred city. The High Commissioner said that Indian investors are keen to invest in Sri Lanka and this aspect too would be perused.
The airport was originally built by the Royal Air Force during World War II, after which it functioned as the country’s second international airport. It was taken over by the Sri Lanka Air Force during the Sri Lankan Civil War. After the end of the conflict in 2009, the Palali Airport was opened last year and was renamed as Jaffna International Airport.
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