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Roads to be renovated at Matale

by J. Gunadasa Jayawickrema, Galewela group correspondent

At a time when the Government is facing a shortage of funds, the money allocated to the Central Provincial Transport Ministry has to be utilised properly according to a plan. A decision has been taken to renovate these roads identified as requiring immediate attention without embarking on the construction of new roads, Central Provincial Transport and Highways Minister Wasantha Aluvihare said.

He was speaking at a meeting held at Matale Kaudapelella inaugurating the 'Central Provincial Road Development Week'.

Out of the 37 roads identified as needing attention within Matale Divisional Secretariat area, renovation work was started on five roads on that day with the participation of Home Affairs and Local Government Minister Alick Aluvihare. Matale District Secretary and Divisional Secretary Ramya Siriwansa and K. Senevirathne and several political leaders in the local government institutions in the area and senior officers of the Road Development Authority participated in this function.

The Provincial Minister said: Kaudupelella, Hathamunagala and Ankanda roads were full of potholes and were in a very bad shape.

'When I took over the Highways Ministry in the Central Province, I got to know that the funds allocated was less by 50 per cent compared with the previous years. This was the situation with all other provincial councils. When the officers and other parties were consulted as to how to carry on with the work, I got inspiration from the 'Road Development Week Concept' of the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa.

'It has also been revealed that the past administration of the Central Province had paid little attention to the roads within the District of Matale. The funds allocated for road development work in the Kandy and Nuwara Eliya districts in the year 2001 were Rs. 4.2 million and Rs. 7.3 million respectively; it was only Rs. 9 million for Matale district.'

The Provincial Minister also said that the people's participation has been mobilised very satisfactorily to make the program a success. Thirtyseven roads will be renovated within eleven divisions in the Matale district and many more roads in the Kandy and Nuwara Eliya districts.

Matale Mayor Hilmy Careem, Deputy Mayor V. G. Jinadasa and Chairman Matale Pradeshiya Sabha Nihal Wijenayake also spoke.

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