[By Janaka Alahapperuma]

President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his way to Belarus this morning (25) inspected the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway which is due to open before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November. The construction of the highway is nearing completion and the President had talks with the Project Director and officers involved with the road construction.

The Project Director informed the President that 95 percent of work has already been completed while the rest of the work, such as, traffic signals and other utilities, including communications, water, electricity, sewer and drainage, landscaping; micro-tunnels, street lighting is in progressing at a rapid pace. Presidential Secretariat Chief of Staff Gamini Senarath and and Ports and Highways Ministry Secretary Ranjith Premasiri were among those who attended the inspection tour.

The 26 kilometre long expressway begins from Peliyagoda. There are five interchange points in this six lane expressway at the New Kelani Bridge, Peliyagoda, Kerawalapitiya connecting with the Outer Circular Highway, Ja-Ela and Katunayake.

Around Rs. 45 billion has been spent for the project so far. Construction of the Expressway was implemented with a loan facility extended by China. The Expressway has 42 bridges and 100 large culverts to ensure the smooth flow of traffic. It is Sri Lanka’s second E Class highway and will link the Sri Lankan capital Colombo with Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake.

The Heads of States and other delegates arriving to attend the CHOGM and other allied Conferences to be held in Sri Lanka will be welcomed on this new expressway. The Ministry of Ports and Highways commenced the construction of the expressway in 2008 under the direction of President Rajapaksa.

Pix by: Nishanka De Silva