Sri Lanka airport light industry proposals to close on March 15: official

March 09, 2012 (LBO) - Requests for proposals to start medium and light industries near Sri Lanka's new international airport in Hambantota will close on March 15, the head of a state-run airport agency said.

"Companies can visit there see land available there," chairman of Sri Lanka's Airport and Aviation Services Ltd, Prasanna Wickramasuriya told a forum organized by Sri Lanka's Shippers Academy.

"There are 150 acres for aviation related industries.

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He said aircraft maintenance and repair industries and flight academies are being sought.

The first phase of the project is expected to be completed by end 2012 or the first quarter of 2013.

Its runway is now 60 percent completed, Wickramasuriya said.

The 219 million dollar Chinese financed and built airport will have 10 parking bays and 2 aero bridges, he said.

It had a capacity of 45,000 metric tonnes a year for cargo.

The airport will be connected to the Hambantota seaport via a road which will take 20 minutes to traverse he said.