Port Access Elevated Highway -- snail’s speed development

Issues also had been raised with regard to the additional variations added later to the project

Recent revelation that the construction of the Port Access Elevated Highway (PAEH) -- much needed 5.3 km road connection built on posts  expected to connect the Harbour to New Kelani Bridge, entrance and thence to the country’s expressway --   might get delayed for another two years is a clear reflection on Sri Lanka’s snail-speed development. 

The access road initially started with the aim of  getting container loads from the port  in 5 minutes avoiding Colombo’s busy traffic, and thereafter sent to the rest of the country, has already dragged on for more than six years. Started in September 2019 under the Yahapalanaya government,  the PAEH  also aimed to connect with the Chinese built Colombo Port City,  and ease the traffic jam in Colombo with faster entrance to the capital and the exit. With a loan provided by the  Asian Development Bank (ADB) and about US$60 million of government funding, the project was initially targeted to be completed in two years. But, unfortunately blocked by the closing down of the country due to the Covid 19 pandemic, the project got dragged for two more years.

However,  the construction was hit by more complicated issues such as poor management, change of plans and disputes among the parties involved. According to information, the Chinese Contractor and the Employer, the Road Development Authority (RDA),  are currently at a dispute resolution proceedings at the Sri Lanka National Arbitration Centre. Additional cases are still under hearing, and further disputes are to be taken to costly international arbitration in Singapore. Issues also had been raised with regard to the additional variations added later to the project. Some of these included adding ramps connecting the PAEH to Aluthmawatha in Mattakuliya and Wimaladharma roundabout in Pettah,  and again another connection to the Lotus Roundabout at Galle Face. These could definitely help people and save their time specially those daily travelling to and from Colombo. But one may question as to why such planning did not happen initially,  thinking  about the convenience of the general public instead of providing limited  access only to the Port and the Port City.   

According to a former senior minister who held  responsible decision- making power in the 2019 Yahapalanaya government, the PAEH access road was also to ease Colombo’s traffic. Yet it’s a question as to why then this was not included in the original plan. 

However,  whatever happened in the past or under previous governments, people expect a different decision making from the newly appointed government, which hoped to be different from former right-wing ruling parties. People expect from this government that the state-run institutions are responsible for their tax paying money spent on loans taken from international banks like ADB for  projects like PAEH. 

 Yet,  the news we hear is otherwise. Daily Mirror reported this week that the Consultant Engineer without whose presence and consultancy that construction of the project could be carried out had abandoned the project on October 1. According to the information,  the Consultant Engineer had left following an issue with the government Employer, the RDA. The Chinese contractor has requested to the RDA to make an immediate replacement so that the work could be continued without further delay. 

However,  instead of addressing the issue,  it looks like the RDA is trying to play a different ball game. Senior officials of the RDA have denied the fact that the engineer had left the project and also that it is getting delayed for nearly two years. The official  said that a new engineer had been appointed and the work is continuing. 

However,  according to the contractor,  this is far from the truth.  A senior engineer attached to the contractor told that any appointment of a new engineer must be carried out with the concurrence of both the contractor and the loan provider ADB,  and this in line with the established contractual procedures. 

Who tells the truth and who is lying  is not a matter for anybody; but the victims of all this would be the general public,  and the government that is being run with their hard earned money. The government also has a responsibility to find out who are behind the blocking or delaying of much needed national projects like these. They are essential for the country to reach financial recovery amidst the  hardships it has gone through over the past several years or decades.