France supports infrastructure development with Rs. 3.3 b assistance

The French Government has come forward to support the development of infrastructure with Euro 22 million (Rs. 3.3 billion) of assistance.

The specific project, which involves widening and reconstruction of 46 bridges on the national road network, and connected agreements were signed this week.

The Finance Ministry said the national road network consists of 12,000 km roads which cover the whole island linking all provincial centres, district centres and townships in the country.

As a result of the rapid economic development, volume of traffic has increased in the recent past. Improvements to most of the bridges on the national road network are imperative to get the expected benefits from improvements and developments made to the rood network made recently.

The major deficiency of most of these bridges is that they are either too weak or narrow to accommodate the present traffic volumes. Considering these facts, the Government has assigned high priority to widen and reconstruct bridges on national road network using prefabricated bridges.

In considering the request made by the Government of Sri Lanka, the Government of the French Republic has agreed to provide Euro 22,050,000 for widening and reconstruction of 46 bridges on the national road network.

The 46 bridges which have been identified for widening and reconstruction under this project are on the basis of their requirement to carry the increasing volume of traffic as well as their weak condition and narrowness of the bridges.

These bridges have been selected from 17 Districts in Western, Southern, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North Western Provinces on priority basis. The bridges located close to towns are given high priority with a view to eliminating traffic congestion.

Replacement of structurally weak and narrow bridges will help in reducing the traffic congestion and traffic accidents as well as improving the connectivity of the road network.

In addition, the Government of France has already extended financial assistance for the Greater Trincomalee Integrated Water Supply Scheme and Improving the Efficiency of Operation Theatres and Provision of Oxygen Concentrators to Remote Hospitals Project, which are currently being implemented successfully.

The financial protocol to provide Euro 22,050,000 for widening and reconstruction of bridges on the national road network was signed at the Ministry of Finance and Planning by Dr. P B Jayasundera, Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Planning and Christine Robichon, Ambassador of France in Sri Lanka on behalf of the Governments of Sri Lanka and France respectively.