Katunayake Expressway 26km Katunayake - Kelaniya Part to be opened in August 2013

19th March 2013, www.dailymirror.lk

Arrangements are being made to open the 26 kilometre-long Katunayake - Kelaniya Expressway, built at a cost of US$ 291 million, this August.

The Ports and Highways Ministry commenced the construction of the expressway in 2009 under the direction of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, who inspected the expressway recently, instructed the relevant officials to plant trees native to Sri Lanka on either side of the road, after conserving the marshy lands on either side of the expressway and cleaning the Dutch Canal.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Basil Rajapaksa said that the true benefits of the Southern and Colombo-Katunayake Expressways can be reaped only after the completion of the Northern Expressway, the initial work on which has already begun.

Plans have been drawn up to constructing the Northern Expressway in three stages - the first from Enderamulla to Ambepussa, the second from Meerigama to Pellandeniya and the third from Ambepussa to Kandy.

Participating in a discussion at the Parliamentary complex on the construction of this expressway, Minister Basil Rajapaksa said the planning has to be done causing the least harm to human settlements and the natural environment.

The technical report on the expressway construction, the environmental report, surveying the area, geological aspects and the resettlement of people, who will be displaced as a result of land acquisition for the purpose, are now being studied since the project is expected to meet the needs that would arise by 2030.

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Colombo Outer Circular Highway Second Phase to Begin on February 18. 28km Beltway is to Ease Traffic Congestion of Sri Lanka's Capital

08th February 2012, www.colombopage.com

Sri Lanka Deputy Minister of Ports and Highways Nirmala Kothalawala says the second phase of the construction of the Colombo Outer Circular Highway will begin on February 18.

The construction of the 28-km expressway will be carried out in three phases and the work on the first phase of construction from Kottawa to Kaduwela has already commenced.

The outer circular highway will start from Kerawalapitiya along the Colombo - Katunayake Expressway to link Southern Expressway crossing A-4 highway at Kottawa and the main A-1 Colombo-Kandy highway at Kadawata.

The second phase of the project from Kaduwela to Kadawata at a cost of US$ 400 million will begin on the 18th.

The Ministry has estimated the third phase of this project from Kadawata to Kerawalapitiya to cost around US$ 290 million.

The Japanese government has granted US$ 630 million to complete the stretch of road from Kottawa to Kadawata.

The highway is expected to provide a circular beltway to bypass the city of Colombo and reduce traffic congestion.

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• Sri Lanka's Southern Expressway Earns Rs 151mn in Two Months. Average Daily Revenue Rs 2.5mn

Sri Lanka Tourist Road Signs Developed with USAID to Come up First in Eastern Province

02nd February 2012, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lanka's Road Development Authority has developed roadside signs to help guide tourists with support from the US Agency of International Development which are likely to come up first in the Eastern Province.

"Tourism roadside signage plays a key role in making Sri Lanka a visitor-friendly destination," USAID said.

"Effective road signage may draw visitors into exploring a town or attraction instead of just driving past and also improves the overall visitor experience, making it easier and safer for tourists to find key sites, facilities and services."

The road signage guideline were developed as part of the agencies Connecting Regional Economies (CORE) Project.

The local government body in Trincomalee in north eastern Sri Lanka and the Eastern provincial council has allocated funds for signage.

New Roads to Ease Congestion in Colombo Planned as 40,000 New Vehicles are Added Every Month

06th January 2012, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lanka has started a study to plan new roads to ease congestion in the capital Colombo and provide fast connections to expressways, the head of the island's Road Development Authority said.

RDA chairman R W Pemasiri said heavy congestion is seen on High Level Road, Baseline Road and from Malabe to the Parliament Junction.

"The new roads can be elevated on built on the ground," Pemasiri said. "We will have a firm idea after the feasibility study is completed."

Roads around Sri Lanka's parliament in the administrative capital of Sri Jayewardenepura became heavily congested from early last year, residents say. Access to Colombo to fast developing areas like Malabe, falls through the area.

In 2010 Sri Lanka cut taxes on motor cars and monthly imports of cars alone are now around 4,000 to 5,000 units adding to the fleet compared to about 500 cars two years ago.

About 1,200 dual purpose vehicles are also registered compared to less than two hundred a few months ago.

Before that tax slashed or tax free cars were only available to state workers and the ruling class of elected legislators. Critics point out that even now ordinary second class citizens, pay higher taxes for cars than elected legislators

and state workers.

About 40,000 new vehicles are now put on Sri Lankan roads each month compared to about 20,000 two years ago. This includes about 20,000 motor cycles and 11,000 three wheelers, which are mostly used as taxis.

While more cars on the roads improve mobility of citizens and allow the state to collect more taxes from fuel (petrol is sold at a little less than double the cost) congestion can make increase inefficiencies by wasting time and fuel.

Capital cities which are economic hubs also need fast transport. Many countries have mass transit systems to supplement roads.

Sri Lanka is also building several expressways. The first expressway to the South is already open and another to an international airport north of Colombo is being built. An expressway to the central hill city of Kandy is also planned.

Pemasiri said the feasibility study will also look at how to optimize approaches to the new expressways.

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Colombo Kandy Expressway Changed to Include Kurunegala - RDA Sri Lanka

07th January 2012, www.lankabusinessonline.com

An expressway from Sri Lanka's capital Colombo to the central hill city of Kandy has been changed to touch Kurunegala, another key city, Road Development Authority Chairman R W Pemasiri said.

The trace of the 98 kilometre planned expressway was earlier going over Ambepussa. The new road may be slightly longer as a result of the change, Pemasiri said.

Ten companies from China, Korea, India and Malaysia have given proposals with financing to build the track.

"We are studying these proposals," he said. "We are hoping to start building the expressway this year."

The RDA opened an expressway to Galle in the South last year, which is operating as a toll road slashing travel time by about a third.

At the moment, the road from Colombo to Kandy is considered a key bottleneck, slowing traffic to Kandy, north central Sri Lanka and the east.

A World Bank study has found that congestion in Colombo, and on the Colombo-Kandy road was a key reason for high transport costs in the island, as road elsewhere in the island improved.

Sri Lanka's First Expreessway First Stage to Open in July. Bus Services Planned

15th March 2011, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lanka's road development and transport authorities have begun planning bus services for the public on the island's first expressway part of which is set to open in July, an official said.

Express bus services will be allowed on the southern expressway stopping only at the 11 interchanges connecting it to the road network, Road Development Authority director-general R W R Pemasiri said.

The first stage of the expressway, from Makumbura in Kottawa to Piniduwa in Galle, will be opened to the public in July.

The maximum speed on the expressway will be 100 kilometres an hour and it will sharply reduce travel time between the capital Colombo and the island's south.

The RDA had begun talks with the National Transport Commission, which regulates bus services, on bus services on the expressway, Pemasiri said.

The authorities are discussing licensing, the number of buses and their frequency on the expressway to cater to travellers without personal vehicles, he said.

A fuel station will be set up at Dodangoda in Kalutara on the expressway.

Vehicles like three-wheeled auto-rickshaws, motorcycles, and tractors, and overloaded trucks will not be allowed on the expressway, Pemasiri said.

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Sri Lanka Southern Expressway Partly Opens by Mid Year to Fast Moving Vehicles

04th March 2011, www.lankabusinessonline.com

A new expressway in southern Sri Lanka that will be partly open by the middle of this year will be confined only to fast-moving vehicles with slow-moving ones like auto-rickshaws and tractors banned, an official said.

R W R Pemasiri, director-general of the Road Development Authority, said the 126-kilometre southern expressway will be a toll road and also have cameras to control speeding.

The maximum speed on the expressway will be 100 kilometres an hour and the road will sharply reduce travel time between the capital Colombo and the island's south, reduce fuel and vehicle operating costs and improve comfort and reliability.

"We're planning to open the southern expressway from Kottawa, (a suburb south of Colombo) up to Galle (on the south coast) by the end of July or in August," Pemasiri told a forum on land transport strategies held by the Chartered Institute of Transport and Logistics.

The access controlled expressway will have 11 interchanges for vehicle to enter.

"There will be restrictions on the types of vehicle allowed to use the expressway, vehicles like three-wheelers (auto-rickshaws), motorcycles, and tractors," Pemasiri said.

"Also, we will prevent overloaded vehicles on the expressway. Overloaded vehicles plying on the southern highway will lead to deterioration of road conditions."

Vehicle axle load limits will be imposed to prevent damage and unnecessary wear and tear.

Slow moving vehicles like auto-rickshaws hold up other traffic on Sri Lanka's existing highways which are too narrow.

"The southern highway will be a toll road, we will use an electronic tolling system and we're going to use cameras for speed control," Pemasiri also said.

The southern expressway will be extended from Matara, a southern town which was the original end of the road, to Hambantota, further south where a new airport and port are being built to provide connectivity, Pemasiri said.

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CML-MTD Awarded Colombo-Katunayake Expressway Contract

01st January 2011, www.dailynews.lk

CML-MTD Construction Limited has been awarded the subcontract to build the much anticipated Colombo-Katunayake expressway, in line with the Government’s acceleration to facilitate world class road network across the country.

As one of the top rated general contractors in the country specializing in rail and road bridges, road reconstruction and construction, marine revetments and structures and in earth moving, the company will undertake subcontract work for the construction of the 26-kilometre roadway which is expected to be completed by end 2012.

CML Construction Managing Director Dian Jayasuriya said, “We are committed to the Government’s vision of developing world-class highways in Sri Lanka. Our expertise in quality which is evident in the many islandwide projects that we have successfully completed is a testament of our strength as one of the best in the business.”

The Company has received the highest C1 grading in three construction sectors, namely highways, bridges and dredging and reclamation. The Company also has received ISO-9001:2000 Quality Standard certification for Earth Moving and Land Grading, Roads, Road Bridges, Railway Bridges, Industrial Parks, Irrigation Systems, Storm Water Drainage, Port Construction and Building of Revetments, Sheet Piling, Concrete Pile Driving, Pre-cast Concrete Products, Industrial Mining, Quarrying and Crushing since February 11, 2000.

MTD Walkers PLC is Sri Lanka’s only listed, fully fledged engineering and infrastructure development company, carrying out a comprehensive restructuring to consolidate its group investments. As a part of this restructuring, MTD Walkers announced a Rights Issue of up to 108.6 million shares (in the proportion of 19 new Ordinary Shares for each existing share) at Rs 33.00 per share. The new shares are on offer to MTD Walker’s shareholders for subscription till January 3, 2011.

The rights issue will capitalize liabilities of the company resulting from the acquisition of 100 percent of Northern Power Company Private Limited, a 30 mw HFO power plant located in Chunnakam Jaffna as the largest provider of electricity to the Jaffna peninsula, CML MTD Construction Ltd and other Companies. The balance of the Rights Issue proceeds will be used for capital expenditure and working capital requirements of the MTD Group of Companies.

Sri Lanka RDA Commissions Study on Future Expressways and Connecting Road Network

08th October 2010, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lanka's Road Development Authority has commissioned the Moratuwa University to do a study on the island's future requirements for expressways and connections with the existing road network, an official said.

Road Development Authority chairman Ranjith Premasiri said the survey, being done by transport and logistics experts at the university, is to be completed in three months.

"The RDA will decide where to build new expressways and the connecting roads in future based on this survey," he told Vimasuma.com, our sister news website.

Work on the southern expressway is also being expedited.

A section of the expressway between the town of Godagama and Makumbura in Kottawa is to be commissioned in April 2011 with about 70 percent of work already over, he said.

Another expressway is being built between the capital Colombo and the hill country capital of Kandy.

One section of this expressway up to the town of Ambepussa is to complete by end-2011.

Tenders are also to be called soon for another section of the proposed outer circular highway around Colombo that is meant to help traffic bypass the capital.

Mannar Bridge Opened. Connects Mannar Island to Mainland in North Western Sri Lanka

18th Mach 2010, www.priu.gov.lk

President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared open the Mannar Bridge connecting the Mannar Island with the mainland.
This was constructed at a cost of Rs 2,460 million. Around 41,000 people in Mannar Island will directly benefit from this project improving market approachability and facilitating transportation at a low cost.

A Highways and Road Development Ministry Spokesman told the Daily News that this is a great achievement and a clear evidence of the Government's efforts towards reconciliation and development in the North and the East.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has funded the construction of the new bridge and causeway. The Road Development Authority under the supervision of the Highways and Road Development Ministry has implemented the project.

The existing bridge and causeway which connect the Mannar Island with the mainland were constructed in 1930s with a single lane which is narrow in width. It was the only access road to Mannar Island from the mainland.

This bridge which was damaged due to a terrorist bomb blast in 1990 was restored with a temporary steel bailey bridge which was restricted for heavy vehicles of over 10 tons.

Sri Lanka to Spend Rs 4bn to Develop Mannar District

09th March 2010, www.news.lk

A sum of Rs 4 billion is to be spend under the Uthuru Wasanthaya programme for the development of the Mannar district.

The Road Development Authority has already completed construction of the Thallady new bridge at a cost of two billion rupees, under the supervision of the head of the Uthuru Wasanthaya Task force Basil Rajapakse and the defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse, on the instructions of the President.

Construction of the roadway from Murunkan to Silawathura in Mannar is now underway. The Road Development Authority says construction of the Araviyara bridge is also being successfully carried out.