MG Consultants signs landmark contract for new Meerigama - Kurunegala Central Expressway

A trail-blazing,100 per cent Sri Lankan contract to build the Meerigama - Kurunegala section of the Central Expressway by 2019 was signed recently between the Road Development Authority (RDA) and MG Consultants (Pvt) Ltd, lead consultant for the project. 
The Central Expressway will be an  access-controlled toll expressway from Kadawatha to Dambulla and will be linked from Pothuhera to Galagedera through a link expressway.  Section 2 of the Central Expressway from Meerigama to Kurunegala is 39.9 km long and  will have four lanes divided two ways with interchanges in Meerigama, Nakalagama, Dambokka and Kurunegala, according to an MG Consultants media release.     
The project will be implemented by a consortium of seven Sri Lankan consultancy firms including Engineering Consultants (Pvt) Ltd, Resources Development Consultants (Pvt) Ltd, Consulting Engineers & Architects Associated (Pvt) Ltd, Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau, Green Tech Consultants (Pvt) Ltd and OCYANA Consultant (Pvt) Ltd, and will be led by MG Consultants (Pvt) Ltd.  
Managing Director of MG Consultants, Ranjith Gunaratne, noted, “This is the first time that a project of this magnitude has been awarded to an all Sri Lankan team of consultants and this itself is a milestone that the country can be proud of.  It speaks eloquently for the way Sri Lanka has rapidly developed its expertise and skills.  Now we can proudly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with international consultancy firms to implement complex development initiatives that support the nation’s ambitious drive towards sustainable progress.”  
Representing the RDA at the signing were  Nihal Sooriyarachchi, Chairman; D. K. Rohitha Swarna, Actg. Director General;  J. T. S. P. Kariyawasam, Working Director; S. D. S. Deshapriya, Deputy Director and  V. Mohan, Project Director  while D. D. Mathararachchi, Senior Programme Director represented the Ministry of Higher Education & Highways. 
Representing the consortium of consultants were K. W. Fernando, Director-  Highways & Transportation, Resources Development Consultants (Pvt) Ltd; W.A.D.D. Nandakumara, Deputy General Manager- Roads, Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau; Ajith Wanniarachchi, Director, OCYANA Consultant (Pvt) Ltd; Prabhath Jayasundara, Managing Director, Engineering Consultants (Pvt) Ltd; Ranjith Gunaratne, Managing Director, MG Consultants (Pvt) Ltd; Ms. Nalini Senasekera, CEO, MG Consultants; Prabath Perera, Deputy Team Leader of the Project and ;Upali Pushpakumara, Senior Project Manager, MGC