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Roads’ end for major projects: RDA seeks Rs. 60b more
View(s):The Road Development Authority (RDA) has appealed to the Treasury for additional urgent funds, amounting to Rs 60 billion, for road projects and warned that otherwise construction activities of major projects could come to a halt.
The funding has been requested for land acquisition, for proposed expressway projects, for elevated roads and for payments for work completed by contractors and sub contractors.
RDA Chairman Nihal Suriyaarachchi told the Sunday Times the request had been made from Treasury Secretary R.H.S. Samaratunga as funds were urgently required. “We will require the funds in the next few weeks to continue with the work. Some of the projects may come to a halt if the funds are not received,” he said.
However, Dr. Samaratunga told the Sunday Times that only Rs 120 billion had been allocated to the Ministry of Highways for the year and it was expected to manage its budget within the allocation. He said the Government would require an allocation of about Rs 40 billion for flood and landslide affected areas and funds were found by imposing a 10 percent cut on the allocation for ministries.
He said that in addition, funds would be needed to give compensation to tens of thousands of people affected by the Uma Oya project and by the drought.
“It will not be possible to collect funds from ministries to provide for road projects. However, Parliament will have to decide if allocations could be made,” he said. The RDA Chairman said that at present work related to180 kms of expressway projects was underway in addition to the Rajagiriya elevated road, for which the deadline had been brought forward to December this year from December next year.
He said one of the proposals put forward was to allocate money from unutilised funds from various other projects of ministries. The Sunday Times learns that the Government is now paying compensation for land acquired for the Central Expressway project.