Engineer abandoned Port Access Elevated Highway project to drag 2 more years

By Susitha R. Fernando 

Much delayed Port Access Elevated Highway (PAEH) which was planned to ease Colombo’s major traffic is to delay for nearly two more years with the Engineer abandoning the site on October 1 without any notice. 

The project work of the PAEH linking Colombo city centre and Katunayake Expressway has been stopped following series of debacles and Chinese contractor China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation has urged the Road Development Authority, the government representative of the project to appoint a representative or an Engineer. According to the project the contractor cannot carry out any construction without the observation of the RDA appointed Engineer. 

“These delays could lead to complete the project for at least another two years,” an expert connected to the project told Daily Mirror.

Originally started in September 2019, the project got dragged due various reasons including the Covid 19 pandemic, alternation to the original plans, discovery of a mass grave at the site and at last the Engineer abandoning the site without any notice. 

However Chairman of the Road Development Authority (RDA) denied delay and abandonment by the Engineer. Speaking to the Daily Mirror, RDA Chairman T. Paskaran said that a new Engineer has been appointed and work has not been stopped. 

“We have appointed a new Engineer and he is working now,” RDA Chairman said

Mr. Paskaran also refuted two year delay and assured that the project could be completed by the middle of 2026.  

As the project got delayed the RDA, had claimed around Rs. 1.2 billion as delay charges from the Chinese contractor.