President wants speedy completion of Central and other expressways

• Priority for Ratnapura Expressway
• Rapid solutions to traffic congestion in Colombo
• Marine Drive parallel to Galle Road to be extended up to Panadura
• Constructions should be handled by local engineers

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed the relevant officials to expedite the completion of the Central and other expressways, the President’s Media Division said in a statement yesterday. 

The expressway from Matara to Hambantota is to be properly completed and open to the public. Construction of segments from Kadawatha to Kurunegala via Mirigama, Kurunegala to Dambulla, and Pothuhera to Galagedara of the Central Expressway also needs to be expedited.

The President issued these instructions during a meeting with the officials of the Ministry of Roads and Highways held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday.

Once the expressway from Kadawatha to Dambulla is completed, access to Northern, Eastern and Western Provinces will become convenient. The objective of this initiative is to provide safer and faster traveling facilities to the public. It will create an economic corridor with an appropriate connection among road networks, the statement said. 

Construction of the 76-km-long road from Ingiriya to Ratnapura will also be expedited. Accelerating the construction of the tunnel road in Kandy will resolve the traffic congestion in the area.

The construction of partially completed roads and bridges should be fully completed without delay and rural road network should also be developed simultaneously, President Rajapaksa said.

President also instructed to find immediate solutions to ease the traffic congestion in the morning on Galle Road, Kaduwela, High Level Road, and Piliyandala towards Colombo.

Flyovers and tunnel pass-ways will be constructed at identified locations where the traffic congestion is heavy. The possibility of constructing a road from Wanathamulla to Battaramulla should be explored, he had said. This will be a solution to the traffic congestion in Borella and Rajagiriya.

The President highlighted the importance of extending Marine Drive parallel to Galle Road up to Panadura. He also recommended securing the contribution of local engineers in all construction activities, and that public transportation should be developed, too. The importance of streamlining luxury bus services and school bus services to minimise the influx of motor vehicles in to the city was also discussed.

Attention was also drawn to reserve parking slots within the city limits of Colombo in collaboration with the Urban Development Authority. Highlighting the importance of parking facilities available at business premises, the President advised to halt the damages caused to electricity, water and telephone lines during road construction and repairs.

Minister Johnson Fernando, State Minister Lohan Ratwatte, Secretary to the President Dr. P. B. Jayasundara, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance S. Attygalle, Secretary to the Ministry of Highways R. W. R. Pemasiri, and several officials were also present at the discussion.