President wants speedy completion of Central and other expressways

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed relevant officials to expedite the completion work of Central and other expressways.

The expressway from Matara to Hambantota should be properly completed and open to the public the President emphasized during a meeting with the officials of Ministry of Roads and Highways held at the Presidential Secretariat today (14).

He also noted that construction of segments from Kadawatha to Kurunegala via Mirigama, Kurunegala to Dambulla and Pothuhera to Galagedara of the Central Expressways also needs to be expedited.

Once the expressway from Kadawatha to Dambulla is completed, access to Northern, Eastern and Western Provinces will become convenient, the President’s Media Division said, issuing a release in this regard. The objective of this initiative is to provide safer and faster travelling facilities to the public. It will create an economic corridor with an appropriate connection among road networks.

Construction of the 76-km long road from Ingiriya to Ratnapura will also be expedited. Accelerating the construction of tunnel road in Kandy will resolve the traffic congestion in the area.

The construction of partially completed roads and bridges should be fully completed without delay and rural road network should also be developed simultaneously, President Rajapaksa said.

He has also instructed to look for immediate solutions to ease the traffic congestion in the morning on Galle Road, Kaduwela, High-Level Road and Piliyandala roads towards Colombo.

Flyovers and tunnel passways will be constructed at identified locations where the traffic congestion is heavy. The possibility of constructing a road from Wanathamulla to Battaramulla should be explored. This will be a solution to the traffic congestion in Borella and Rajagiriya.

President has highlighted the importance of extending the marine drive parallel to Gall Road up to Panadura.

President said to secure the contribution of local engineers in all construction activities.

The public transportation should be developed too. The importance of streamlining luxury bus services and school bus services to minimize the influx of motor vehicles into the city was also discussed.

Attention was also drawn to reserve parking slots within the city limits of Colombo in collaboration with Urban Development Authority. Highlighting the importance of parking facilities available at business premises President advised to halt the damages caused to electricity, water and telephone lines during road construction and repairs.

Minister Johnson Fernando, State Minister Lohan Ratwatte, Secretary to the President Dr. P. B. Jayasundara, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance S. Attygalle, Secretary to the Ministry of Highways R. W. R. Pemasiri and several officials were also present at the discussion.