India is planning to operate Sri Lanka's loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in Hambantota, the government said.

The Sri Lankan government in 2017 invited investors to turn the airport into a profit-sharing joint venture. However no proposals were received to operate, manage and maintain the airport.

Here are some interesting facts about Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA):

MRIA is located in the town of Mattala, 18 km north of Hambantota.

The airport, named after former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, is dubbed the world's emptiest airport due to a lack of flights.

Opened in March 2013, it's the second international airport in Sri Lanka after Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo.

The first aircraft to land at the airport was a Hawker Beechcraft B200 King Air of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority on October 16, 2012.

The first commercial flight to land at MRIA was SriLankan Airlines Flight 226 from Dubai.

Flydubai was the last airline to suspend flights to the airport.

The passenger terminal covers 110,000 square feet, can handle 1 million passengers per year, 12 check-in counters and two gates equipped with jetways.

The airport also has a restaurant, medical centre and a lounge for business class passengers.

Around 2,000 acres of forest were cleared to build the airport, displacing about 200 elephants.

The airport has the capacity to handle one million passengers a year and is expected to handle five million passengers, 50,000 tonnes of cargo and 6,250 air traffic operations per annum by 2028.

India proposes to operate, manage, maintain and develop the airport through a joint venture, holding 70% of the equity for 40 years.

According to reports, India is planning to invest $205 million in the venture, while Sri Lanka would pitch in the balance $88 million.

Exim Bank of China provided $190 million loan to construct the airport.

First Published:Jul 11, 2018 8:56 PM IST