Cabinet green-lights resumption of Baseline Road extension phase III

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya  

The Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval to resume the construction of the third phase of the Baseline Road Extension Project, a critical urban infrastructure initiative that had been stalled due to the country’s economic volatility.   

The proposal, submitted by the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake seeks to complete the vital link between Kirulapone and the Colombo-Horana Road to alleviate severe traffic bottlenecks in the city’s southern entry points.   

The approved project involves the construction of a six-lane highway stretching 0.86 kilometers from the Kirulapone Junction to Dutugemunu Street (Pamankada). This specific stretch acts as the continuation of the existing Baseline Road, which currently terminates at the High-Level Road intersection in Kirulapone. By extending the road to Dutugemunu Street, the network will directly connect to the Colombo-Horana route, creating a seamless high-capacity corridor through the capital.   

The project has a turbulent history rooted in the country’s recent financial struggles. Originally identified as a priority facility under the National Road Master Plan, the construction was abruptly suspended in 2022 at the height of Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, which forced the state to freeze capital expenditure on infrastructure. Despite the suspension of physical construction, the preliminary work continued behind the scenes, with authorities confirming that approximately 90% of the necessary land acquisition activities have already been completed, clearing the path for immediate mobilization.   

Upon completion, the extension is expected to drastically reduce travel time and decongest the notorious traffic snarls around the Kirulapone and Pamankada areas along the 120 Horana-Colombo Main bus route.