Development
A drive to economic prosperity
Sanjeevi JAYASURIYA
The Southern Expressway will trigger Sri Lanka's drive to maturity
while the accelerated development phase of the country will generate
multiplier effects embracing all sectors and integrated geographical
regions.
The inaugural opening of the Southern Expressway highlights the
development significance and will have far reaching benefits that will
not only accrue for the Southern region and the country as a whole,
Highways Deputy Minister Nirmala Kotalawala told Daily News Business.
The road network will stimulate connectivity with the rest of the
highways and this will fuel growth of industries and trade while
providing an efficient transportation mechanism to both local and export
markets, he said.
The development of the Southern Highway from Colombo to Hambantota
where an industrial port based township will be developed as a counter
magnet to Colombo will provide the potential for accelerated economic
development.
It will promote a development corridor and improve accessibility to
Colombo in supplying agriculture produce and fisheries through a fast
delivery process, he said. While recognizing the time saving as a
financial gain the expressway will be extended to Matara by 2013.
The Katunayake Colombo outer circular road is expected to be
completed by the end of next year. The toll fee is mainly for
maintenance purposes and it is not profit oriented. The project will be
run without being a burden to the Treasury to ensure its viability, the
Deputy Minister said.
The Southern Expressway is a welcome development to Sri Lanka
especially considering the country's efforts to become a logistics hub.
"We need an extraordinary transport system to achieve hub status,
Logistics Expert Rohan Masakorala said. "This expressway should be the
model to set up similar facilities connecting key locations where it
facilitates fast movement of goods and vehicles and development of
tourism and trade as growth sectors," he said. While cautioning the
drivers to use the expressway with due care and safety, he emphasized
the need to maintain road discipline.
"We need to link the other regions and have an integrated road
network to support the country's forward march, Masakorala said.
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