Japanese contractor of BIA new apron faces threat of blacklisting

Japanese contractor Hazama Corporation has been directed to complete the much delayed construction work of ‘Remote Apron and Taxiways’ at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) within three months or face being blacklisted, a government minister warned.

This was the same company that built the old terminal at the airport.

Minister of Industrial Export, Investment Promotion, Tourism and Civil Aviation Prasanna Ranatunga has warned the contracting company to complete the construction of the new apron at the BIA in Katunayake by May 31 as it was scheduled to be completed by October 2019.

If the company failed to adhere to the deadline then the Government of

Japan, which funds the project, would be informed and the contractor will be blacklisted, he told a special meeting held at his ministry, a senior official said.

The project has been planned with a view to increasing the BIA accommodation capacity to 15 million passengers per year and developing the infrastructure facilities of the Airport implemented under the Bandaranaike International Airport Development Project ( BIADP) - Phase II with the loan grant provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),

Construction work of "Remote Apron and Taxiways" commenced in April 2017 and it was to be completed by October 2019, but the time period has been extended on four occasions, the official said.

Answering a question raised by Minister Ranatunga about this delay, representatives of the company said that it was due to a shortage of river sand. The airport engineering division objected to the request made by the company for approval to complete the rest of the work using sea sand, a ministry official told the Business Times.

The whole project consists of construction of new multilevel terminal building, Pier no 2 and Pier no 3 with a link concourse, new parking apron and taxiways, elevated access roads, multistory car park and public utilities.

The total cost of the project, comprising Construction Cost of Package A and Package B, Contingencies and Consultancy Services, is US$550 million approximately, and the funding for the project is from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).