Travel restrictions are necessary to save people’s lives - PM

Everyone must support the government to overcome the current pandemic despite difficulties

Travel restrictions are necessary to save people’s lives therefore everyone must support the government to overcome the current pandemic despite difficulties, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday.  

Prime Minister Rajapaksa who was speaking during the inauguration of the work on the elevated highway which runs between Kelaniya Bridge to Athurugiriya said people and the opposition should support the government to overcome the challenges posed by the current pandemic.  

“We are aware that the travel restrictions cause various difficulties to people. However it is essential to safeguard the lives of the people. Therefore we plead with the people to cooperate with the government. Safeguard your own self and your loved ones. The whole nation will be saved from the pandemic if you do it,” the Prime Minister said.  
“Government is trying its best to provide COVID-19 vaccines to the people. However the opposition is continuously engaged in finding fault with the government. They often come out with shortcomings. Therefore I request the opposition not to play politics during the pandemic. Also I have seen some Ministers and MPs have appreciated the vaccination programme carried out by the government,” he added.  

“The elevated highway and the flyovers will ease the traffic congestion in Colombo. Many have been talking about this traffic congestion but hardly anyone has come up with a practical solution to it. We have pledged that we will not stop development work despite the pandemic. This is why we have started work on these projects. The specialty of this elevated highway is that it mergers the first and second highways of Sri Lanka. The China Harbour Company is investing Rs. 135 billion for this highway project. We thank them for it. The project to construct three fly overs will begin today. These are Kohuwela Fly Way, Justice Akbar Mawatha Fly way and the Getambe Fly way in Kandy. It was the Hungarian government which funded the Getambe Fly way. We thank the Hungarian government for it.  

Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said these vast projects which are aimed at developing infrastructure are the biggest after the projects initiated by British Governor Edward Barnes. “Around 13,000 kms of road will be developed under these projects. These roads would have been completed by now if Prime Minister Rajapaksa was elected as the President of this country once again in 2015. The then opposition accused us of selling the reclaimed land that was to be sold to China when we began the work on the Colombo Port City project before 2015,” the Minister recalled.   

*** We will not stop development work despite the pandemic
***These vast projects which are aimed at developing infrastructure are the  biggest after the projects initiated by British Governor Edward  Barnes