Ten years on Central Expressway not in sight

Cost for phase 1 increases from Rs.158 billion to Rs. 350 billion

Phase one is to be implemented with a loan from EXIM Bank of China

Govt. plans to complete it during its term  

By Kelum Bandara  

The estimated cost for the construction of phase 1 of the Central Expressway (Kadawatha - Meerigama stretch) has more than doubled since 2015 when the project agreement was originally signed, a deputy minister said .  

The first agreement for the project was signed in 2015 and the second in 2016, but successive governments failed to realize it during the last ten years. 

Deputy Minister of Transport Dr. Prasanna Gunasena told Daily Mirror that the cost had increased from Rs.158 billion in the original estimate to Rs.350 billion due to reasons such as compensation being demanded by the construction firm over the delay and the depreciation of the local currency against the US dollar.  

The 36-kilometre stretch of phase one is to be implemented with a loan from EXIM Bank of China. The Deputy Minister said some construction undertaken at the initial stage had collapsed after the project came to a standstill.   

“To restore them, the government has allocated Rs. 7 billion,” he said. The government has now prioritized the completion of the Central Expressway during its term. The work on the Pothuhera- Rambukkana stretch is now in progress. Land acquisition for the next stage up to Galagedara in Kandy has been completed, according to him. 

We will look at the construction of any other expressway only upon completion of the Central Expressway