Colombo Outer Circular Highway:

Work on second phase begins February 18

Ridma Dissanayake

The Ports and Highways Ministry yesterday said that construction work on the second phase of Colombo Outer Circular Highway will begin on February 18.

Construction of the Colombo Outer Circular road will be carried out in three phases and the construction of first stage from Kottawa to Kaduwela has already commenced, a Ports and Highways Ministry Spokesman told the Daily News yesterday. Over Rs. 24 billion has been allocated for the construction of a stretch of 11 kilo metres between Kottawa and Kaduwela.

Construction activities of the highway from Kaduwela to Kadawatha under the second phase of the project is to begin on February 18 and Rs.44.88 billion is to be spent for its construction. This project is funded by the Japanese government. The third phase of this project from Kadawatha to Kerawalapitiya will also commence in the near future. The ministry has estimated that around Rs.33 billion will be spent for construction activities.

According to the ministry spokesman, once the outer circular highway is completed, commuters would gain easy and quick access to the Southern Expressway and the Colombo-Katunayake highway.