16 June 2021 02:02 pm
Most of the development projects in the country were slowed down or suspended during the period of the previous government, the Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister, Johnston Fernando, said.
In an address to the media at the Ministry, he stated, "As a result, the government has decided to accelerate the completion of all development projects."
The Minister today had an inspection visit to witness the progress of the construction on the marine drive.
"This Marine Drive has been under construction for several years. The Yahapalana government suspended it. It could not even complete the remaining distance and complete the task in which major work had already been done. The Marine Drive has been identified as a viable solution to the traffic congestion along the Galle Road and Duplication Road," the Minister said.
"Under the leadership of the Prime Minister, most of the work on the Marine Drive has been over. If there had been no regime change in 2015, today the work on the Marine Drive would have been completed and people would have been using it already," Minister Fernando said.
The work of the Marine Drive has been fast tracked, despite the difficulties caused by the pandemic.
"We are determined to move forward and continue our development projects despite the challenges of the pandemic. We have given the contractors our full support in completing their work, and we are confident that all projects, including the 100,000 km long rural road development, will be completed during the current administration. Traffic congestion will soon be a thing of the past. We are building a flyover to help ease traffic at the entryway to Kawdana," the Minister added. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)