Road development cost govt Rs. 28.9 bn last year

Uditha KUMARASINGHE and Irangika RANGE

Highways and Road Development Minister T. B. Ekanayake told Parliament yesterday the Government has spent Rs. 28,912.60 million to develop and maintain roads during the last five years.

The Government is planning to construct the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway (26 km), Colombo-Kandy alternative highway, Kottawa-Kaduwela-Kadawatha-Kerawalapitiya highway and the Southern Expressway, he said.

The Minister said the Government commenced work on the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway on February this year.

The project estimated to cost US $ 292 million is scheduled to be completed by 2012, Ekanayake said. The Colombo-Kandy alternative highway consists of two alternative highways of Colombo-Ambepussa (48.2 km) and Ambepussa-Kandy (50.5 km).