Staggering Rs.150 bn for Central expressway: Dullas

30 July 2015 01:08 pm

The UPFA today claimed that the UNP, which alleged the then UPFA government of spending excessive amount of funds for expressway constructions, had estimated to spend a staggering amount of Rs. 150 billion for the construction of the Kadawatha-Meerigama segment of the Central Expressway.

UPFA Matara District candidate Dullas Alahapperuma said the UNP led government had also reduced the number of lanes of the central expressway, previously named as the northern expressway, leading to Jaffna via Kandy from Colombo.

He said the frequent allegations of the UNP were that the UPFA government had obtained loans from China for higher rates, the expressway projects were unsolicited, funds allocated for projects were staggering and the Rajapaksa family was benefitting from these projects.

“Today, the same UNP had obtained funds from the Exim Bank of China to the project and estimated Rs. 150 billion to complete the Kadawatha-Meerigama segment after reducing the number of lanes to four from six.  This is a day-light robbery only second to the Central Bank Bond sale issue. The UNP charged that it seemed we were using gold to construct expressways and it seems today they are using gold and platinum in constructing expressways,” Mr. Alahapperuma said. (LSP)