Sons of south open Expressway extension to electorate

 

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa along with China’s Ambassador Cheng Xueyuan at the opening of the final phase of the Southern Expressway yesterday

 

• 222 km Southern Expressway now completely links Mattala Airport and Hambantota Harbour to commercial capital Colombo 

• Length of final extension commissioned from Palatuwa to Barawakumbuka was 58 km and costs Rs. 169 b

• Four-phase E01 96 km expansion from Matara to Hambantota cost was Rs. 225 b

• MR says Southern Expressway is for betterment of future generations

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday inaugurated the final stage of Southern Expressway – the extension from Palatuwa to Barawakumbuka. 

Now the Southern Expressway links the Mattala Airport and Hambantota Harbour to the commercial capital, Colombo. After opening the road near Godagama, Palatuwa interchange, the President and Prime Minister travelled on the Southern Expressway from Palatuwa to Barawakumbuka. The President and the Prime Minister were warmly greeted by the general public as they passed interchanges.

The length of the extension commissioned yesterday from Palatuwa to Barawakumbuka of the Southern Expressway was 58 km and it cost Rs. 169 billion.

The E01 from Matara to Hambantota is constructed under four phases: Matara – Beliatta, Beliatta – Barawakumbuka, Barawakumbuka – Andarawewa and Andarawewa – Mattala and were completed under the fourth stage and the cost was Rs. 225 billion.

The 222 km long Southern Expressway is the longest expressway in the country. With the opening of the new extension of the Southern Expressway, motorists will be able to travel to Kataragama from Colombo within three-and-a-half hours.

The existing Matara – Godagama interchange will no longer be used in the future and the new Palatuwa interchange will replaced it. After Godagama, there are interchanges at Aparekka, Beliatta, Kasagala, Angunakolapelessa, Barawakumbuka and Sooriyawewa.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the public rally held near the Barawakumbuka interchange said that the Government will start again the mega development projects abandoned by the previous Government. He further said that the national security will be ensured in the country in a similar manner as the Government constructs the expressways.

He also said that a Trade and Finance Centre will be built centering the Colombo Port and Katunayake International Airport. Steps have been taken to build an International Technical and Services Centre focusing the Hambantota Port and Mattala Airport, he added. Prime Minister Rajapaksa further said that the Government will take actions to create nine economic corridors that will include the Port of Trincomalee and the port at Kankesanthurai.

He further said that all these initiatives are mentioned in the ‘Rata Hadana Saubhagyaye Dekma’, the policy manifesto of the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Ministers including Minister Chamal Rajapaksa and Minister Johnston Fernando, Members of Parliament including Namal Rajapaksa and D.V. Chanaka, public servants and a large number of people participated on this occasion.  

 

 

PM forges ahead on infrastructure projects 

• Seeks $ 200 m from AIIB for 624 low income housing projects
• Cabinet approval given to look for financing for large tracts of existing and new highways
• Cabinet also green lights 23 bridges to be built as priority

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa last week presented several Cabinet papers on infrastructure development projects including seeking $ 200 million to build 624 housing units, procure funding for large stretches of new and existing highways and building 23 bridges to reduce congestion.  

Rajapaksa sought Cabinet permission to award a contract to Maga Engineering Ltd. for the construction of 624 housing projects at Colombage Mawatha, Kirulapone for low income people based on the recommendations of the Standing Procurement Committee (SPC).  According to the Cabinet paper $ 200 million is being negotiated with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) for the project.

Another Cabinet paper outlined plans for construction of a highway network covering the whole island in three stages. The paper proposes expediting work on the Central, Eastern and Ratnapura expressways. The Ratnapura expressway is to be built in three stages from Kahathuduwa and terminating in Pelmadulla.

The Cabinet granted approval for the Ministry of Roads and Highways, which is a key portfolio held by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to search for funding for the Central expressway project and to obtain a proposal for Phase 1 of the Ratnapura expressway from the Chinese conglomerate M/s CNTIC. The Cabinet also approved calling statements of consent on competitive basis for construction of the Phase II of the same project and to conduct feasibility studies for the Eastern expressway project.

A third Cabinet paper submitted by Rajapaksa sought approval to implement another project which will see 23 bridges being built as a matter of priority to minimise traffic congestion, reduce accidents and vehicle usage costs. M/S Ellipse Projects SAS of France had submitted a proposal which received Cabinet approval. A discussion committee appointed by the Minister for evaluation of the proposal was also given Cabinet approval.     

 

 

 

Cabinet green lights Rs. 1.6 b ADB-funded road renovation in Jaffna

 

The Cabinet last week approved a proposal submitted by the Minister of Roads and Highways to award a Rs. 1,684 million contract to N/s NEM Construction Ltd. for renovation, extension and to perform maintenance part of the road network in Jaffna. 

 

The project will see renovation and maintenance of the Point Pedro-Marudankarni road (B 371) in Jaffna.

The approval for awarding the civil work contract package came based on recommendations were received by the Cabinet from the Standing Procurement Committee. The funding for the project comes under the second consolidated highways investment program funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).