Rs. 15 b for rural bridges

The Government is continuing to spend more money on infrastructure with Rs. 15 billion being earmarked for 210 bridges in rural areas.

Cabinet yesterday gave approval for a Cabinet paper presented by the Economic Minister Basil Rajapaksa to construct 210 rural bridges. It was decided to accept the proposal made by Cleveland Bridge UK Ltd. to construct permanent steel bridges in lengths from six to 30 metres covering the whole island with a loan facility of Sterling Pounds 35 million (Rs. 6,212.50 million).

The total cost of the project to be completed within the next three years will be Rs. 15,860 million and the remainder of Rs. 9,647.50 million will be funded by the Government.

“As the ‘Mahinda Chinthana’ policy recognises the importance of connecting villages as part of its rural economy improvement initiatives, the Cabinet of Ministers decided on this proposal,” Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told the weekly Cabinet press briefing.

“Under the ‘Maga Neguma’ project, 9,400 km of rural access roads have been modernised, but due to the absence of rural bridges over streams, these development have met with hurdles,” he added.