Uncertainty looms over Kadawatha-Mirigama section of Central Expressway

• Govt. undecided whether to renegotiate with foreign contractor, find a local one, or temporarily suspend project
• Over 20% of the Kadawatha–Mirigama stretch completed
• Despite delays, Rs. 5,000Mn allocated in the 2025 Budget 

By Huzefa Aliasger 

The future of the Kadawatha–Mirigama stretch of the  central expressway remains uncertain, with the government mulling whether  to renegotiate the project with the foreign contractor selected, to  find a new local contractor or else to hold it for the moment.   

Compensations to be paid for the previously selected  foreign company keep accumulating by Rs.21 million a day, to the  outstanding amount due to machines and equipment lying idle with no  ongoing construction work.  

Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Dr. Prasanna  Gunasena told the Daily Mirror, “Discussions on the resumption of  construction is still in progress. Such discussions are focused on the renegotiation of funding or completely giving up the project. We also  explore whether to find a new contractor locally.”  

Dr. Prasanna said that the expressway from Kadawatha to  Mirigama was partially constructed before it came to a halt due to the high  costs of construction. Construction on more than 20% of the section has  already been completed.  

The Kadawatha-Mirigama section is phase one of the  central expressway project and is a 36.5 km-long stretch, which was to be  done in two stages. The first stage is five km, and the rest of the  distance is completed at a cost of Rs.168.5 million, which has  significantly increased over the years.  

The contract was signed in 2015 and 2016 and has yet to be  completed in 2025. Rs. 5,000 million has been allocated from this year’s  Budget for the construction of this expressway.  

The Deputy Minister said that if the construction work of  the Kadawatha – Mirigama, Mirigama – Kurunegala, Pothuhera – Rambukkana  and Kurunegala – Dambulla sections of the Central Expressway had been  carried out on time, it could have been completed at a cost of Rs. 58  billion. Now it costs much more to complete the project.