Construction of private airstrips, heliports and helipads will be permitted and encouraged subject to satisfying the applicable requirements published by the CAASL, according to the newly-published National Civil Aviation Policy for Sri Lanka.

This will be in keeping with plans to develop domestic air services and to this end, private sector investment in domestic airlines, as well as aerodromes and other aviation facilities and services, will be encouraged, the policy paper states.

The paper says that all domestic aerodromes, except aerodromes exclusively used by the military, will be maintained in accordance with the applicable civil aviation standards to promote domestic aviation. At aerodromes where the military is present, segregation of space, facilities and services will be made enabling unimpeded application of civil aviation requirements for the civil aviation operations.

The construction of new domestic aerodromes will be pursued at locations based on tourism, trade, investment and commerce, industrial and religious centres. This will include the construction of heliports and helipads, and private sector participation in this respect is encouraged.

The use of inland water bodies as water aerodromes will be encouraged and facilitated in consultation with relevant authorities in charge of such water bodies without prejudice to their primary use.

Power to regulate all matters, inclusive of the charges levied at domestic airports, including water aerodromes and heliports/helipads used for civil aviation operations, will be vested with the CAASL.

Construction of helicopter landing pads at selected locations in major cities and by the side of highways and expressways will be promoted as well. 

Govt. firms up new Civil Aviation Policy

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