President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has directed officials to extend the Marine Drive from Galle Face to Panadura to ease traffic congestion on the Galle Road, sources told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
He has instructed officials to expedite construction work on expressways and provide maximum opportunities to local engineers, the sources said. He has directed the officials that the Colombo- Kandy expressway should be from Kadawatha to Kurunegala via Mirigama, and later to Kurunegala from Mirigama, and from Kurunegala to Dambulla with a detour from Kurunegala to Pothuhera and to Galagedera.
President Rajapaksa also directed officials that the 76-kilometre stretch between Ingiriya and Ratnapura be completed fast. The President said that the underground tunnel system in Kandy should also minimise traffic as well. He said that there would be a corridor following the completion of the expressways to link them.
The President had directed the officials to complete the half completed roads and the bridges and that the rural roads should be developed parallel to the main roads too.
He also proposed to set up parking slots for vehicles which arrive in the city from the outstations and those should also cause minimum damage to infrastructure such as water pipelines, power and telecommunication lines and others.
The number of privately owned motor cars and other modes of transport to Colombo should be minimised and that luxury buses should be used for intercity transport.