BIA Expansion Faces Legal, Procedural Hurdles Amid Tender Controversy

The long-delayed Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) Phase II expansion is set to resume in mid-2026, aiming to boost annual passenger capacity from 6 million to 16 million. Supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) through a concessionary loan, the project includes a new Terminal 2 and is expected to complete by 2027.

However, the tender process has been marred by irregularities, including deadline extensions, invalid legal documents, and delays in bid evaluation. A previous contractor completed only 6% of the work before the 2022 suspension, and the current bidding has faced allegations of favoritism toward the Sojitz-L&T consortium.

Procurement experts warn that bending rules for powerful bidders risks undermining public trust and Sri Lanka’s procurement credibility. While government committees have intervened to correct lapses, the project’s execution remains vulnerable to interference, raising questions about transparency and the nation’s ability to deliver a critical infrastructure upgrade efficiently.

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