Steps to gear-up ‘Maga Neguma’ integrated road investment program

Wednesday, 24 December 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Government has planned to implement an investment program to ensure rural road connectivity with the adjacent socioeconomic centres.

Under this program 1,000 rural community hubs will be selected based on the population, development potentials and distance to trunk roads. Selected national roads, provincial and local authority roads, including feeder roads, will be rehabilitated to ensure connectivity to selected rural hubs. The overall program will design, improve and maintain about 3,106 km of rural access roads, including provincial and local authority roads and about 260 km of national roads. The rural access roads will be improved to all weather standards and be maintained for three years under the program. Selected national road corridors will be improved and maintained for seven years, while short isolated sections will be maintained for three years after improvement. In addition, the program will improve the capacity of the road development agencies, including the Ministry of Highways Ports and Shipping, Road Development Authority (RDA), provincial road agencies and local authorities on road asset management, project management and contract administration. The Ministry of Highways, Ports and Shipping will be responsible for program-specific monitoring and reporting. The overall project is scheduled to be completed by 30 March 2024.