Minister of Transport and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva stated that a new local airport will be constructed near Bandarawela in the Badulla District.

It had been planned to construct a new airport at Haputale. However, due to the risk of landslides, an alternative site close to Bandarawela was chosen for the project, de Silva said at an event yesterday.

The runway of the new airport will be 1300m long and the airport will be located 3.5 kilometers off the Bandarawela-Koslanda road. Aircraft carrying upto 48 passengers will be able to land at the airport, he added.

The government, in its budget proposals, said that three domestic airports will be constructed in Badulla, Puttalam and Digana. Furthermore, Sri Lanka is to move towards the open skies policy, the budget proposals said.