Minister of Petroleum Resources Development Arjuna Ranatunga says that the government will initiate the project to lay a pipe line for the supplying of aviation fuel (Jet A-1) from Muthurajawela to Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) during the coming months.
 
He stated that earlier, it was planned to construct this pipe line parallel to Hamilton canal via Nugape-Bopitiya to Pamunugama and then parallel to Colombo- Negombo road and to Katunayaka. 

However, this would be difficult as it is an underground pipe line and therefore we focused to lay the pipe line in an easy way, he said. “We also followed a feasibility study regarding to this and outcome of it was satisfactory.” 

He stated that the Road Development Authority (RDA) has agreed to construct the pipe line parallel to Colombo-Negombo highway. 

“Every highway has a service corridor which we did not construct it. But we would be able to construct it,” Minister Ranatunga said, during the monthly progress review meeting of the ministry which was held yesterday (17).
 
During this meeting, the Minister specially focused on this project which was operating by Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC). The CPC is the main supplier of fuel to aircrafts and it’s the only source of foreign income for the CPC.
 
Fuel for aircraft is currently transported by trains and fuel trucks from Kolonnawa Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminal to the main supply center in BIA. However, according to the inspection of CPC, operations done by Kolonnawa storage won’t be sufficient to fulfill the needs in future. 

According to the calculations daily fuel consumptions of 1.6L Millions will be increase in to 2L Millions in 2020 and 3.5L Millions in 2030. They will expect to supply fuel for aircrafts from Muthurajawela Terminal in addition to Kolonnawa Storage. According to the initial plan of this project full length of the pipe line is 23.3KM. But this has reduced in to 3.5KM under the new decisions. 
 
As a result of reduction of cost of transportation, CPC will be able to supply aviation fuel competing with India by reducing the prices of aviation fuel. Minister Arjuna Rnataunga stated that they will be able to make a huge monetary profit by this.
 
“Every project should be compatible with the country. We should reduce the difficulties face by people as same as project should be provide long term advantages. We are spending public money for these projects which we should not waste it. We are liable for every public penny we are spending. That’s what we considered when we initiate the above project,” Ranatunga further added.