Cabinet approval has been granted to complete the construction of phase three of the Outer Circular Highway connecting Kadawatha to Kerawalapitiya, the Road Development Authority (RDA) said.

RDA Project Director of the OCH phase three N.K.L. Netthikumara said the interchange proposed to be constructed on the Peliyagoda – Puttalam road would be removed because an interchange has already been constructed in Kerawalapitiya.

“This section of the OCH from Kerawalapitiya to Kadawatha is to be completed with four lanes similar to the phase one and three of the expressway,” he said.
The initial works of the 9.32 km stretch are underway and it is scheduled to be completed by 2019.

The Cabinet had approved the contract of the third phase to the Metallurgical Corporation of China Ltd. (MCC) at a cost of Rs. 66.69 billion in 2013.

Considering the high cost in the project and the recommendations made by professionals, the scope of works was reviewed with a reduction of cost by 35.9% i.e. Rs. 23.93 billion.Accordingly the expressway section is to be constructed with four lanes, reducing the length of viaducts and height of viaducts.

However, as the contractor had disagreed on these amendments, the construction of that section of the expressway has been delayed. A report on possible changes without compromising safety aspects has been obtained from the construction supervision consultant and the two major changes to remove one interchange and to construct the phase three with four lanes has been made.

Consequently, the proposal made by Lakshman Kiriella, Minister of University Education and Highways, to implement the project with these changes was approved by the Cabinet.

Earlier this year the government appointed a three-member committee to review the project and reduce its cost.(Dharsana Sanjeewa)