Central expressway should have been opened by October 2018 - Lakshman Kiriella

Former Minister Daya Gamage’s company delayed the work on the stretch it was contracted to construct

By Yohan Perera  

The Yahapalana government should have opened the central expressway by October 2018, if former Minister Daya Gamage’s company did not delay the work on the stretch it was contracted to construct and if not for the constitutional coup in the same year, Chief Opposition Whip and former Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella said yesterday. 

Mr. Kiriella told a press conference that the Yahapalana government had to ask another contractor to construct the remaining stretch after Mr. Gamage’s company delayed the work.  
“We in the Yahapalana government handed over the contracts to construct the Central Expressway to four companies. “We divided the Galagedara to Kurunegala stretch to four parts into 2.5km stretches and gave contracts to four companies. We also appointed a leader company as well. Three companies completed the work on time but the company which is headed by Mr. Gamage’s son could not do it. Then we decided to hand over the contract to the leading company. It is this company which did the remaining work,” he said.  

“However we managed to complete 76km of the Central Expressway despite the delay. We could not open the express way because of the constitutional coup and the Easter Sunday attacks,” he added.  

Asked as to why the previous government handed over the contract to a company headed by a minister, Mr. Kiriella said it was Mr. Gamage’s son who headed the company.