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Chinese, local companies to build Jaffna and Kandy expressways
Chinese and local companies will jointly undertake the construction of the expressway projects to the north and Kandy at an estimated cost of Rs. 300 billion, a minister said.
Highways Project Minister Nirmala Kotalawala told the Sunday Times a Chinese company had been given the contract for the construction of the expressway from Pothuhera in the Kurunegala district to Gannoruwa, off Peradeniya at a cost of Rs 100 billion. The funds would come as loan from the Exim bank of China.
He said the construction of the northern and the Kandy expressway would begin from Enderamulla in Wattala and would be linked to the Katunayake expressway.
The minister said five local companies, including Access International, had been awarded the contract to build the stretch from Enderamulla to Dambulla under nine different phases. The construction would cost Rs. 200 billion and would be raised from local funds.
The construction of seven different phases of the expressway would be launched next Sunday by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.Northern Expressway Project Director L.V.S. Weerakoon said land acquisition had already begun with directives to pay the current market value for the land acquired.
He said the objective of the project was to provide better transport facilities for goods from the outstations and reduce traffic congestion on the Kandy and Kurunegala roads. The driector said that in addition the projects would raise the value of lands in the outstations.
It was hoped that all the projects would be completed in about three and a half years.