Rs. 4b loan from JBIC to develop roads, bridges

by Lalith Nanayakkara

The Japan Bank for International Co-operation (JBIC) is to provide a Rs. 4 billion loan facility to Sri Lanka in keeping with an agreement reached with President Mahinda Rajapakse during his tenure as Prime Minister and Minister of Highways, to develop a 100 kilometre stretch of the Akkaraipattu Batticaloa - Tirikkardimadu road in the Eastern Province including the Kalladi bridge.

This funding will be provided under the tsunami damaged roads and bridges modernisation programme, said a spokesman for the Road Development Authority.

He said the initial discussions pertaining to this rebuilding project as well as the initial feasibility report had now been completed. The funding agreement will be signed in March 2006 once the final feasibility report is exchanged between the two parities in February.

Apart from this the Japanese International Co-operation system has already provided Rs. 1500 million for rebuilding roads and bridges damaged in the tsunami in the Southern and Eastern Coastal belts.

This funding too was negotiated by President Mahinda Rajapakse when he was Prime Minister and Minister of Highways. Already the rebuilding of the Akurala, Seenigama, Magalle, Goviyapana and Weligama bridges on the Southern coast have commenced under this programme. Rs. 600 million will be spent on these bridges due to be completed in August next year.

The spokesman added that in addition to this the Komari bridge in Ampara and the Periyakallar, Pudiya Kallar and Panichchankerni bridges and the respective roads will be rebuilt under the causeways development programme for which Rs. 900 million has been allocated. These bridges running across lagoons will be rebuilt under the above bridge model and completed within 15 months.

All bridges damaged in the tsunami had 2 lanes. Once they are rebuild they will be equipped with four lanes to facilitate speedy flow of traffic.

Construction work of the bridges in the Southern Province is handled by the Kumajai Jumi Company and Consultancy services are provided by Oriental Consultants.

Construction work of the Causeways project in the Eastern Province is handled by Hazama Cooperation. Supervision and ownership of all these projects are handled by the Sri Lanka Road Development Authority.