Sri Lanka Airports

Doesn’t look like SLE will take up OPS at MRIA according to dailynews.lk (“We will then invite a reputed foreign MRO player after calling for international tenders to work with the government”). Building of hangers should be as far from the main terminal in case either wants to expand down the line.
Yeah, targeting the narrow-body market would be a good idea as there are plenty of airlines (especially LCCs) in this region using them as their back bone.

Where are they planning to build the hangar?

SriLankan Engineering is mostly repairing the narrowbody aircraft for the foreign airlines like : Air Seychelles, Maldivian, Goair, Indigo etc..
so Is it better SL gov build the A320-hangar at HRI in the initial stage ?

Yes, As per below news, the SL Gov is going to re-initiate the proposal of MRO facility at MRIA. But there were several proposals in the last few years like : Airforce base, Aircraft Training base at MRIA etc..

It's a good idea having MRO facility but as long as the profit made out of it?

It's not bad idea CMB has to be used for Commercial flight operations, RML for Aircraft Training and HRI is for MRO facility. Especially after Covid, Sri Lanka doesn't need more than one international airport, so any investment for expansion has to be focused only for Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport.

Finally, we are on track. Making MRIA an MRO hub is its future. Correct me if I’m wrong but such a thing was also proposed in 2012 so will this also be a white elephant as well. Please leave your thoughts . Thanks

Sri Lanka to invest in infrastructure at Mattala airport

Colombo, Nov 26 (IANS): Sri Lanka will invest in maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) facilities at the China-built Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) in the country's Southern province, local media citing a government official said here on Thursday.

State Minister of Aviation and Export Zones Development DV Chanaka was quoted in state-owned Daily News saying that, "The government will initially fund 50 million US dollars to build the key infrastructure at MRIA for the MRO facility early next year."

Chanaka said that once basic MRO infrastructure has been built by State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Airport and Aviation Sri Lanka (AASL) and SriLankan Airlines, the government would call for international tenders for the operation of the MRO facility, Xinhua reported.

Chanaka said that the government hopes the MRO facility will become a major foreign exchange earner and generate well-paying jobs for local youth.

The MRIA is located around 30 kms away from the China-built Hambantota Port, both of which are connected to the commercial capital of Colombo through the southern expressway.

To answer this question:

BIA has a max capacity of 6 million passengers per annum. Last year it handled nearly 10 million passengers.

aboriginal people? what did you smoke?
Aborigines are native Australian people. What on earth do they have to do with SL?

Only Ceremony was held on the 18 Nov. So that means construction work not started yet?

Originally posted by Serendib

BIA new terminal construction : Agreement to import workers next week

BIA new terminal construction : Agreement to import workers next week - The Morning - Sri Lanka News

according this article BIA new terminal 2 construction begging on 18 November 2020 and finish on November 2023

The roof is like a sandal... that design was done by the previous govt. Hopefully they will go back to the original design

Here you go

source:aviation talk

BIA new terminal construction : Agreement to import workers next week

The Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd. (AASL) is expected to enter into a labour agreement on 30 November with the workers who will be imported to commence the construction of the long overdue second terminal (Terminal II) at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).

The ground-breaking ceremony was held on Wednesday (18) and the construction is set to commence on the same day the agreement is signed, AASL Chairman Maj. Gen. (Retd.) G.A. Chandrasiri told The Sunday Morning Business.

Chandrasiri added that Terminal II will be completed in three years, meaning by November 2023, at which time the BIA would be able to handle a combined passenger capacity of 15 million.

Maga – one of the six companies which bid for the construction of the interim terminal – scored the highest points in the evaluation, and was recommended by the Standing Cabinet Procurement Committee to be awarded the project.

However, on an appeal by the CSCEC, the Procurement Appeal Board overturned this decision and awarded it to the Chinese company, which subsequently received Cabinet approval.

Following the awarding of the project to CSCEC and the Cabinet approval, Maga appealed to the Supreme Court in October last year. Plans to construct the interim terminal were abandoned eventually.

The new terminal is expected to handle a passenger capacity of nine million as initially planned while the existing terminal handles about six million passengers annually.

The new terminal building would feature the addition of 96 check-in counters, eight baggage claim belts, seven baggage makeup carousels, 16 contact boarding gates with 28 passenger boarding bridges, and six bus gates. The scope also includes a capacity enhancement of the incinerator, water treatment plant, and sewerage treatment plant.