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Saturday, 26 October 2013 09:50 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
There were no racial or language barriers among them. They were all children of Mother Lanka and I met them while touring the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway during 22 to 24 October. Nearly 300,000 people walked along the new road during these three days.
Some were having a dip in the lagoon by the roadside while others were enjoying the shade of trees. Young people were riding bicycles. Towards the Katunayake end of the expressway we spotted uniformed school children who looked like white butterflies from a distance. On the first day within the first 12 hours itself it was reported that over 25,000 people came to see the expressway.
The three-day program to mark the opening of the road to the public was launched under Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa’s guidance on the advice of President Rajapaksa. Project Minister Nirmala Kotalawala, Western Province Highways and Tourism Minister Nimal Lansa, Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna and Western Province Chief Minister Prasanna Ranatunga contributed to the success of the program and related festivities.
Opening program activities
Of these, the first day’s activity was a track and field event in which about 3,000 people participated in two groups – from Peliyagoda to Katunayake and from Ja-Ela to Katunayake. 250 competitors took part in the bicycle race.
On the second day, art competitions were held at four entry points to the expressway – Peliyagoda, Thorana, Ja-Ela and Katunayake. A highlight on day two were the school musical bands playing folk songs during this event. The buggy race that began from Ja-Ela on the afternoon was also a key event with 87 competitors partaking.
The last day of the festivities comprised of tug-o-war, boat races in the Negombo lagoon, stage plays and three-wheeler races.
Ceremonial opening tomorrow
President Mahinda Rajapaksa will ceremonially open the expressway tomorrow, 27 October.
The foundation for the expressway was first laid by then Prime Minister Madam Sirima Bandaranaike in the early 1970s. For the past 40 years, anyone travelling on the Kelani Bridge could see the remnants of two bridges constructed in connection with that failed project. They were demolished early this year during the construction of the new expressway; while the other old bridge built near the Vidayalankara Pirivena was repaired for use as an entry point to the new expressway.
The Colombo-Katunayake Expressway is the second E Class highway of the country. The 25.8 km long expressway links the country’s capital city Colombo with the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake.
The long-awaited expressway passes through the open land of Muthurajawela marshes and the Negombo lagoon giving a glimpse of Sri Lanka’s natural beauty. The quick travel facilitated between the Bandaranaike International Airport and the capital of the country with enhanced safety will help boost the country’s economy in addition to providing pleasant travel to users.
Four-lane, user-fee levying expressway
The Colombo-Katunayake Expressway (CKE) is a four-lane, user-fee levying expressway with a designated speed of 100kmph. It consists of three interchanges, namely Peliyagoda, Ja-Ela and Katunayake. It is expected to connect the CKE to the proposed Outer Circular Highway (OCH) at Kerawalapitiya in the future.
The expressway is also expected to reduce the travel time from Colombo to Katunayake to 20 minutes.
The expressway has been constructed to international standards to ensure the safety of all road users while emphasis has been given to increase the mental and physical comfort of passengers and drivers. The 25.8 km Colombo-Katunayake Expressway (CKE) starts from the New Kelani Bridge and ends at the access road to the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake.
Construction on the highway began in August 2009 and has been constructed at a cost of US$ 350 million by a Chinese company on the supervision of the Road Development Authority. This is recorded to be the first expressway where sea sand has been used 
for filling of the road embankment. Soft ground treatment techniques are adopted where ground conditions are poor.
Incomparable contribution
Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa made an incomparable contribution to the construction of the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway by monitoring the progress of the construction work monthly and visiting the site every three months from the start.
Minister Rajapaksa guides all major development projects launched by the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government. Highways Project Minister Nirmala Kotalawala, Secretary of Highways, Ports and Shipping Ministry Ranjit Premasiri and the local engineers associated with the project is also acknowledged for the success of the project.
We have to be grateful to everyone who did their share in making this 40-year dream come true in accordance with the ‘Mahinda Chinthana’ vision. The fruits of their labour will be seen in the coming years and months.
(The writer is an environmental journalist who could be reached at [email protected].)
