SRI LANKA. The government of Sri Lanka is tendering for a developer of the new Kudaoya International Airport.
The country’s second international airport is planned on a site closed to the city of Hambantota, on the southern coast of Sri Lanka 175 miles (282km) from Colombo. A large duty free complex is part of the scheme. Construction is forecast to start by the end of this year on the 2,500 acre site with completion in 2006.
The tendering body of the government last week invited Expressions of Interest (EoI) from qualified consortia/ joint ventures for the project on a Design-Build-Turnkey basis inclusive of sourcing of funds through government to government means or export credit.
The site has been identified for several years and the government stated that Kudaoya airport will serve as the designated alternate airport to Bandaranaike International Airport, located 19 miles (30km) to the north of Colombo.
The southern coast is the most popular among tourists and comes to life mainly from October through April when the monsoon moves northeast and the sea becomes calmer with blue sky. The main beach resorts are at Beruwela, Bentota and Hikkaduwa and Unawatuna.
Closing date for EoIs is 20 April 2004.
