Construction Associations to stop govt. construction projects

Considering the sudden price increase of building construction materials, the National Construction Association of Sri Lanka (NCASL) today said that all government construction projects, including the construction of 100,000 km of rural roads, would be stopped if the responsible authorities do not settle their extra bills, NCASL Chairman Susantha Liyanaarachchi said.

He said, considering the increase in bills, the cost of the construction estimates should be increased by 50 percent, or they would have to stop the construction.

He said the prices of all building construction raw materials had been increased, and if the responsible authorities do not take measures to impose control prices, they would take action to close all government construction sites within two weeks.

The price of a sack of cement had been increased by Rs.125 without anyone's knowledge. Because of the scarcity of fuel, the cost of brick transportation had increased by 100%. 

“The officials should manage those issues first before forcing us to complete the construction, especially with the project launched for the construction of 100,000km of rural roads and connecting them with the main road network by 2024,” Liyanaarachchi said.

Liyanaarachchi urges officials not to force the constructors as they were fed up with paying bills for higher amounts. The mafia in the construction field had been created by the officials, he alleged. 

“The government might have issued directives to finish the construction quickly, but the officials should keep in mind not to transfer their pressure onto us. They should talk with us after they settle the extra bills. If not, the small and medium construction categories have to be stopped," Liyanaarachchi said. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)