Bandaranaika International Airport Katunayaka
Geographic
location of the Airport is 10km south of Negombo City, and 35km north of
Colombo City lies about 2 km east to the A3 National way of Colombo and Chilaw main
road in the Gampaha District of Western Province. Elevation of the area is
about 8 meters. The land surrounded by Negombo lagoon on the west side and
paddy fields from other sides when it was first built. Main entrance to the
Airport opens on to the Katunayaka Minuwangoda B208 main road. And there will
be attaching the high way entrance to the Airport soon.
Size
of the land area is 500 hectares in total which includes a runway of 3350
meters long and 45 meters wide, adjoin with a taxi way parallel to the runway
is 3369 meters long and 30 meters wide. And there will be 2nd runway
coming up under the development work starting in 2014 including much more
facilities such as new terminal buildings, car parks, new railway station,
etc.. in the near future.
History
Under
the British Government in 1944 Royal Air Force based on the same place for the
battle with German and Japanese. It has been given its’ fully support to the
United forces to end the 2nd world war. Even after the independents
of British rule in 1948 the Royal Force was there until 1957. And then the
Airport base has converted in to the International commercial Air port. In 1964
cabinet minister of communication Mr. Anil Moonesinghe started to develop an
International Airport to replace the Rathmala Airport with the aid program of
Canada. Katunayaka take the place of Ratmalana and finished the work in year
1967.
Air
Ceylon was then the National carrier and few British carries on operation for
International destinations.
The
first Jumbo Jet Boeing 747 Condor Air Line landed on the Island on the 7th
November 1971 from Frankfurt and then Concord Supersonic landed in 1976
In
generally Banadaranaika International Airport is the major entrance way to the
Island and for over 6 decades until the New Airport opened at Mattala in
Hambantota early in this year 2013. Rathmalana Airport in Colombo mostly use
for the domestic purpose and not being developed due its location and the size
of the land area.
By: Eranga Jayasinghe
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