President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed officials of the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development to prioritise urgent public needs identified at District Coordinating Committee meetings when implementing rural road development projects.
The President also directed officials to resume all road development projects that were suspended in 2022 due to the country’s economic crisis.
The directives were issued during a progress review of projects implemented by the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development in 2026, held alongside the Ministry’s 2027 pre-Budget discussion at the Presidential Secretariat.
President Dissanayake stressed the importance of completing all road development projects within their stipulated timeframes and ensuring that the public receives an efficient and reliable transport system.
The meeting reviewed the progress and future plans of projects implemented under the Rs. 402 billion allocated through the 2026 Budget, as well as projects undertaken in response to the Ditwah disaster situation, according to a statement issued by the President’s Media Division.
The proposed Kurunegala–Galewela section of Phase IV of the Central Expressway and plans for the Ruwanpura Expressway were among the key projects discussed.
Officials also reviewed the progress of several expressway projects, including the Kadawatha–Mirigama section of the Central Expressway, the Port Access Road and the Pothuhera–Galagedara section under Phase III of the Central Expressway, the PMD stated.
Issues relating to access and interchange connections within the expressway network were also discussed, along with possible solutions and difficulties encountered in the compensation process for the Kurunegala–Galewela section.
The proposed extension of Baseline Road from the Kirulapone Junction towards Colombo–Horana and development work on the Ampara–Uhana section of the Badulla–Chenkalady Road were also reviewed.
The island-wide highway maintenance programme received further attention. Ministry officials noted that although roads are generally expected to undergo repairs every 10 years, many roads have not been repaired for more than 15 years and now require reconstruction.
According to officials, approximately 130 A- and B-class roads have not undergone reconstruction for 15 years.
The progress of bridge and flyover construction projects was also reviewed, while attention was given to continuing development work on the Badulla–Bibile Road following the situation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
The meeting also discussed the Transport Connectivity and Asset Management Project implemented by the Road Development Authority and the National Traffic Database Project, which aims to improve traffic management and modernise the country’s existing traffic data system.
Officials said the National Traffic Database Project is expected to gradually develop into an integrated smart traffic management system incorporating smart traffic signals and camera systems, with the participation of the Police, road safety authorities and road management agencies.
The initiative is intended to improve traffic flow and promote greater discipline among road users.
Special attention was given to ongoing rural road development projects. President Dissanayake stressed that public requirements identified through District Coordinating Committee meetings should be given priority when selecting and implementing such projects, the PMD added.
The President also reviewed the progress of rural road development requests submitted through District Coordinating Committee meetings.
The meeting further discussed the systematic implementation of Road Development Authority projects at district level and the possibility of gradually transferring responsibility for the development of smaller roads to District Secretaries.
Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Prasanna Gunasena, Deputy Minister of Urban Development Eranga Gunasekara, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Chief of Staff to the President Prabath Chandrakeerthi, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Kapila Janaka Bandara, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Engineer Asiri Karunawardena, and officials from the relevant ministries were present at the meeting.
