President Sirisena inaugurates Jaffna International Airport built with Indian aid

Colombo, October 17 (newsin.asia): Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, on Thursday opened Sri Lanka’s third international airport, in the island’s former war torn northern district of Jaffna, boosting air traffic between Jaffna and India’s Southern cities.

The airport was opened in the presence of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Minister of Tourism Development and Wildlife, John Amaratunga, Minister of Civil Aviation and Transport, Arjuna Ranatunga and the Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Taranjit Singh Sandhu.

A statement from the President’s office said that the Jaffna International Airport was constructed at an approximate cost of US 12 million dollars and it was funded by the governments of Sri Lanka and India.

Alliance Air inaugural flight arrives at in the Jaffna International Airport

Following the official opening a Bombardier ATR 72-600 aircraft of India’s Alliance Air, landed on the newly constructed 950 meters runway making it the first foreign flight to land in the north after the launch. A press release from the Indian High Commission said that Alliance Air is a subsidiary of Air India and that the flight to Jaffna from Chennai was the airline’s first international foray.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said the airport will be constructed in three phases and following more investments in the airport in the future, it will be able to accommodate larger flights such as the Airbus A320.

Minister John Amaratunga said the opening of the third airport in the north will help boost air travel to all parts of the country and also boost tourism.

Sri Lanka is aiming to attract 2 million tourists at the end of this year.

Touching the Sky

Indian High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu speaking at the inauguration

Indian High Commissioner, Taranjit Singh Sandhu said in his address, that bilateral relations between India and Sri Lanka have now truly touched the sky!

The inaugural flight was yet another example of India’s commitment to continue with people-oriented development projects in Sri Lanka. It was also a reflection of the shared commitment to further strengthen people-to-people ties between India and Sri Lanka, which lies at the heart of the bilateral relationship.

The High Commissioner recalled the words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Sri Lanka in 2015, in which he had said that, “The future I dream for India is also a future that I want for our neighbors”.

The Government of India had earlier extended grant assistance for the rehabilitation of runway and basic infrastructure at the Palaly Airfield under the MoU concluded in November 2005 with Government of Sri Lanka. Both sides have also been working towards operationalization of regional commercial passenger flights from Jaffna.

The recent expansion of the airport along with setting up of ancillary facilities had been done by Government of Sri Lanka. Regular commercial flights between Chennai and Jaffna are scheduled to start from early November 2019.

(The featured image at the top shows Prime Ministekr Ranil Wickremesinghe, M.A.Sumanthiran MP, President Sirisena, Minister Arjuna Ranatunga, Minister, High Commissioner Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Mavai.Senathirajah MP)