Construction of BIA’s new passenger terminal to resume only after IMF deal

The construction of the new passenger terminal building at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) is to resume  

after Sri Lanka finalises a potential bailout package with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a Cabinet minister said. 
The Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation, Nimal Siripala de Silva said Japan has halted all bilateral funding to Sri Lanka including funds for the BIA expansion project.

He revealed that only 6 percent of the construction of the new passenger terminal building has been completed as of now.
The Minister earlier lodged a complaint with the Japanese government on the slow pace of construction as well as some irregularities and concept changes made by the project company Taisei Corporation to the plan.

After the completion of the terminal, BIA is expected to handle 15 million passengers per annum.  In November last year, a new apron and taxiways were unveiled under the BIA expansion project.   The JICA’s total financing for the expansion of BIA is JPY 74,397 million or around Rs.113 billion, which has been provided under special terms for economic partnership, with 0.1 percent p.a. interest and a 40-year repayment period to promote technology transfer, build quality infrastructure and boost economic cooperation between Sri Lanka and Japan.