BIA departure terminal expansion moves ahead

A new departure terminal facility at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake will be constructed by M/s Maga Engineering (Pvt) Ltd.

The Cabinet of Ministers approved the contract award to the firm, identified as the lowest substantially responsive bidder through the procurement process.

Valued at $7.26 million and Rs 3.77 billion (excluding VAT), the project encompasses the construction of 36 check-in counters and six boarding gates to link the BIA departure terminal to aircraft.

The initiative stems from a February 9, 2025 Cabinet decision to launch the procurement process, forming part of a broader infrastructure project to expand passenger terminal capacity.

An international competitive bidding process drew three proposals.

Following an extensive evaluation, the Standing High Level Procurement Committee submitted its recommendations, leading to the Cabinet's approval of the proposal presented by the Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation.