Hanuman Bridge: SL could hold different view- PM

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday that he had informed Indian Minister of Road Transport Nitin Gadkari that Sri Lanka could hold a different view about the ‘Hanuman Bridge, proposed to be built between Sri Lanka and India and this would be discussed after the construction of the proposed Northern Highway.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said this in response to a question raised by joint opposition MP Udaya Gammanpila as to whether he discussed the setting up of the proposed bridge.

“The Indian Minister of Road Transport Nitin Gadkari has tweeted that he has discussed the construction of the proposed bridge between India and Sri Lanka. So we would like to know your position with regard to his claims,'" Mr Gammanpila said.

Mr. Wickremesinghe responded that he had informed the Indian Minister that the project would be considered, but only in the long term. “I told him that the construction of the Northern Highway should be the focus now and the Hanuman Bridge could be a project for later,” he said. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)