Twenty flyovers in Colombo, suburbs

By Bandula Sirimanna

Sri Lanka’s highway network is to undergo major changes with four flyovers being built at many intersections in Colombo and the suburbs.

Construction work on the flyover at Pannipitiya is nearing completion while work at Orugodawatte and Gampaha level crossings are in progress. Director Planning of the Road Development Authority (RDA) S.M.K.G.G. Bandara told The Sunday Times FT that work on two flyovers at Rajagiriya and Nawala Junctions will commence with foreign funding.

Two flyovers are being designed for Nugegoda junction and Kelaniya level crossing while the work of 13 others is scheduled to start in the near future in accordance with cabinet approval to build a total of 20 flyovers at a cost of Rs 20 billion.

He said the government is seeking funds from China, Iran and the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation to implement this massive infrastructure project.

The first steel flyover at the Kelaniya Thorana Junction is a four lane one due to be completed within six months.

Plans are also afoot to remove the roundabout at Dehiwela junction and advance the traffic lights in the first phase. This would be followed by a two lane fly-over. The road from Devi Balika Vidyalaya to Battaramulla will soon be replaced by a six-lane straight drive.

The construction of bridges will be undertaken using modular bridge components which are cost effective and can be erected in a shorter period. Most of the bridges on national highways which are of dilapidated condition will be replaced under this project, which is scheduled to be completed in four years.

It will be implemented by the RDA and the work has been contracted to Mabey & Johnson Ltd of the UK.