The funding for the third phase of the Central Expressway is currently being worked out and work on the section will get off ground soon said Road Development Authority (RDA) Chairman Nihal Sooriyaarachchi.
However, he said he cannot disclose further information as certain matters with regard to the project are yet to be finalized.
The Joint Opposition and certain media groups made a hue and cry that the cost of the project had increased under the current government.
Refuting the allegation, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had said that on an earlier occasion the Government managed to cut down construction costs of the third phase expressway by Rs.25 billion following negotiations with Japan’s Taisei Corporation.
The initial estimate for the section by Taisei Corporation was Rs. 159 billion. However, the Government through negotiations brought it down to Rs. 134 billion.
The Colombo-Kandy Expressway was an election pledge of the Government.
Phase three comprising 34 kilometers in length and 24.4 meters in breadth is from Pothuhera to Galagedara.
Several highway development projects have been undertaken by the RDA.
The stretch from Matara to Hambantota spanning 96 kilometers in length and 24.4 meters in breadth is to be completed in four stages by end 2019. The estimate for the completion of the four stages of the project is Rs.242.21 billion.
The Outer Circular development project comprising 9.63 kilometers in length and 24.5 meters in breadth will be completed in three stages from Kerawalapitiya to Kadawatha by June 2019 at a construction cost of Rs. 66.69 billion.
The RDA chairman said that work on the overhead bride at Rajagiriya is progressing and will be completed before schedule. ‘We will complete it by December,” he said. Originally the project was scheduled to be completed by December 2018.
“Vehicles plying to Fort will save around 10-15 minutes as a result of the bridge. We received the fullest support from the residents in the area with regard to the land acquisition,” Sooriyaarachchi said.
A parallel road from the Rajagiriya McDonalds to Elvitigala Mawatha up to Nawala Road has been cleared to ease congestion and reduce time by travelling through Borella junction.
“We have also cleared the Magazine Road to travel to Kotte Road from Dematagoda junction to ease traffic congestion at Borella junction,” the RDA Chairman said.
The first phase of the Integrated Road Development Project funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for Rs. 120,000 million comprises 3,130 kilometers. Currently 1,440 kilometers have been completed with around 52 percent of the work being completed.
The project links the Southern, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North Central, Wayamba and Western Provinces.
The second phase of the project funded by the ADB for Rs. 135,000 million links Uva, Northern, Eastern and Western Provinces. The extent of the project is 3,750 kilometers.
Tenders have been called for the Uva Province.
Work on the Badulla-Chenkalady road development project is currently in progress. The project which covered Passara, Lunugala, Bibile, Padiyathalawa, Thampitiya under two phases, is scheduled to be completed by June 2020.