Akashi to attend opening ceremony

Rasika SOMARATHNA

Minister/Head of Mission of the Japanese embassy Hideki Ishizuka said that Japan places high importance to the Southern Expresway project, and therefore the opening ceremony on Sunday will be attended by Yasushi Akashi, Representative of the Government of Japan on Peace Building, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in Sri Lanka, along with Nobuhito Hobo, ambassador to Sri Lanka and representatives from JICA.

“The government and the people of Japan, hope that the Japan co-financed Southern Expressway would be a true gateway to prosperity and a strong link to peace and friendship between all communities,” he added.

Yasushi Akashi

Speaking to media alongside Ishizuka, a team of JICA representatives headed by Resident Representative Akira Shimura said, Japan recognizes that an efficient road network is a basic requisite to facilitate social and economic development, because such a connectivity of communities can attract new investments, and generate more job opportunities.

It is in this context that the government of Japan provided 36.3 billion Japanese Yen (approximately Rs. 47.2 billion) as a soft loan towards the construction of the country’s first expressway.

Japanese funds were used for the construction of the 66.1 kilometers, i.e. the first section of the Southern Expressway from Kottawa to Kurundugahahetekma, while the Asian Development Bank financed the balance 29.3 kilometers of the Expressway up to Galle.

JICA also funds the toll plazas, offices and other facilities, and the interim and permanent toll

The Collection system for the entire expressway, vehicles required for operation and maintenance including special vehicles such as tow-trucks, cranes, fire engines, ambulances and police vehicles are jointly financed by JICA and ADB.

In addition to financial support for construction and supply of goods and services, both JICA.

The ADB also supports capacity building of the Expressway operation and maintenance personnel. The ADB loan assistance covers capacity building mainly for the maintenance aspects of the expressway, while JICA provides technical cooperation (grant assistance) to train and establish systems for tolling and traffic operations.

According to JICA, environmental protection measures were especially considered in the construction. Within the Southern Transport Development Project, JICA financed the widening and dredging of the Canal network in the Kahathuduwa area to mitigate flood impact.

This area which was subject to frequent inundation prior to the Project, has not experienced any significant inundation since then, they added.

The new Expressway will no doubt ease the traffic congestion and reduce the travel time between Colombo and Galle, and make the southern region more accessible and more attractive, the JICA representatives added.