PARLIAMENT

Regulations under National Thoroughfares Act:

'Provision for charging of fees from vehicles using Expressway'

Sandasen MARASINGHE and Disna MUDALIGE

Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody presided, when Parliament met at 1.00 pm yesterday. After the presentation of papers and oral questions, the House took up the Regulations under the National Thoroughfares Act for debate.

Ports and Highways Deputy Minister Nirmala Kothalawala: The regulations under the National Thoroughfares Act has been introduced to provision the charging of fees from the drivers of every vehicle plying on the Expressway. A large number of vehicles are plying on this Expressway daily. The government is earning a good income from these vehicles.

The income will be used for the maintenance of the expressway and other expenses such as wages for the workers and the police.

This income will also be used to provide residential quarters for Police and Fire Brigade personnel.

The government is also working on the Colombo-Katunayake expressway. By 2013-2014, we hope to extend the expressways to cover about 300 km. We have prohibited advertisements and banners on the expressway. The expressway has helped the Sri Lankan community to save time spent on travelling, thereby to manage the 24 hours of the day effectively.

Deputy Chairman of Committees Chandrakumar Murugesu takes the chair.

John Amaratunga (UNP): We have no objections towards these regulations. I should remind of the fact that it was the UNP regime who embarked on the concept of expressways in Sri Lanka. We are appreciative that the present regime has been able to complete the project. However, the problem was whether the expressway had been constructed to the required standards.

There had been 26 accidents on this expressway since its inception. Even a death had been reported. It was also reported that certain ministers would be permitted to use the expresswa free of charge.

Ports and Highways Deputy Minister Nirmala Kothalawala: It is a total lie. I being the Deputy Minister of Ports and Highways, have paid the necessary fees each time I used it. This regulation applies to every person, despite rank or position. Up to now, the government has earned a total sum of Rs 180 million from the expressway.

The length of the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway will be 25.8 km. We hope to complete the constructions by the end of 2013.

Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna: I first express my gratitude to the President for embarking on this massive project to construct expressways in Sri Lanka. I observe that the proposed charges for using the expressway had been very fair.

According to surveys, the use of the expressway, cuts down the fuel consumption by one third. The expressway had been constructed to the required standards. The development of the transport sector has been very important to a country such as Sri Lanka, which is a densely populated country.

There are nearly 4 million vehicles in the country

Lasantha Alagiyawanna (continues): There are about 4 million vehicles in the country. The road network has been inadequate to cater to these vehicles. As there had been no expressway network across the country, the fuel and time of the people had been wasted. Only 200 accidents had occurred on the expressway and only one person had been killed due to these accidents.

But during this period, a massive number of accidents have taken place on the Galle Road.

Gayantha Karunathilake (UNP): The UNP had initiated the Gal Oya projects. The oil refinery had also been initiated under the UNP regime. Initial steps had been taken to construct expressways. Free trade zones had been set up.

According to the people, the width of the expressway had been reduced, as an excess amount of money could be earned as commissions from this project. The service lane on the expressway too had not been not wide enough. The income from the expressway has been very high.

The government has spent Rs 3,000 million on roads in 2010. With this money, an extent of 703 km of roads had been constructed. During 2011, 233 students had been killed due to road accidents. Altogether 2,697 people had been killed in road accidents during the same year.

There had been good road networks in the past

Ven Ellawala Medananda Thera (UPFA): We understand that a good road network was essential for the development of a country. When we consider the Indu Nimna civilization, it has been obvious that there had been a good road network.

Now we see the road network being developed. Some say the British constructed the road network in our country which was incorrect. There had been a good road network in our country and the British had destroyed it and constructed another road network.

Stone scriptures has it that in Sri Lanka, there had been a post of director for road planning and construction as far back as the third century BC.

We should agree that a fee should be charged for the use of the expressway.

Media has revealed many shortcomings in the expressway

Jayantha Ketagoda (DNA): The media has revealed a lot of shortcomings concerning the expressway.

There had been instances where wild animals had been killed on this expressway.

People under the influence of liquor should not be permitted to enter the expressway.

When we consider the Kaduwela town, the traffic jam was very heavy and vehicles were being blocked for hours during the mornings and evenings.

Nirmala Kothalawala: As a solution to this issue, we will commence the construction of the Kaduwela-Kadawatha road on the 18th of this month.

The govt had proudly opened the expressway last year.

Food Security Minister P Dayaratne: The government proudly opened the expressway last year. We could extend it further. A large amount of money has to be spent on the maintenance of this expressway. The government charges a fee for those using this road. It has been the practice throughout the world. Though money is being charged, the users could save much more by saving petrol and time by using the expressway.

Money was not being charged to cover the expenditure of the construction of the expressway. The expressway is much popular today.

Ajith P Perera (UNP): The expressway in Gelanigama was not wide enough. This problem could be solved by acquisition of a few perches by the roadside. It should be done without delay before the people make their constructions on these plots. If they construct buildings, the government will have to pay a large amount of money as compensation.

Road network has rapidly improved

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sumedha G Jayasena: The first ever expressway of the country was opened on November 27, 2011, turning a new page in Sri Lanka's history. Nearly 3 years have passed since the war had ended. We must be glad that an expressway had been constructed within this short period. Today the road network in the country has rapidly improved which has been a golden era with regard to the development of the transport sector.

Today one can travel within 50-55 minutes to a destination which had required nearly 3 hours in the past. The minor errors we witness today, could be rectified very easily. The fees that are levied under these regulations have been very reasonable. The large number of vehicles amounting to about 4 million was too much of a burden to a small country such as Sri Lanka.

Development of highways paramount in development of country

Namal Rajapaksa (UPFA): The development of highways has been paramount for the development of the country. The development of highways were being carried out simultaneously to many other social welfare and infrastructure development projects. This government has renovated about 5,200 km of 'A' grade roads and 6,800 km of 'B' grade roads.

A large number of people have used the Southern Expressway and the total income has been about Rs 188 million up to now.

The President had a goal to construct an expressway to Kurunegala, to connect with the hill country. This project would be embarked on, in the near future.

P Ariyanethran (TNA): The government must be responsible for the road network in the country. Many roads inundate easily due to rain and this should be prevented. The number of road accidents have been high in the country.

Many have become innocent victims of road accidents. When considering the North and the East, lands are being invaded by various groups.

Kanaka Herath (UPFA): Not only the urban road network, even the rural road network have been rapidly improving today and we must be grateful to the President for this development. Due to the war, the development of roads in the Northern and the Eastern provinces had been impossible.

But now these roads are being renovated and necessary financial allocations provided to initiate these projects.

The first Expressway of the country was 95 kms. in length. Before the opening of the Expressway from Kottawa to Pinnaduwa, about 2 and a half or three hours were needed to reach Galle. Half of this time could now be saved, while saving the cost of fuel too.

Hunais Farook (UPFA): The Southern Expressway was opened on November 27, 2011. It has been a giant step towards the development of the transport sector.

The government has allocated Rs 38,387 million for the development of road network in the country in 2011. This has been increased to about Rs 40,000 million in 2012. When considering the Northern Province, the government had provisioned Rs 11,595 million in 2011 alone, for the improvement of road network in the North.

It hopes to spend about Rs 14,300 million for the development of roads in the Northern province in 2012. These figures prove the government's commitment towards the development of the transport sector.

Govt highly talented in constructing roads

A H M Azwer takes the chair.

Gamini Jayawickrema Perera (UNP): This government was highly talented in constructing roads. It should earn the Nobel Prize for this work. However, these constructions have been carried out by loans obtained from foreign countries. A recent survey had found out that 75 percent of the people have said that there was no benefit from the Southern Expressway. It is reported that vehicles running on the expressway have been often attacked with stones.

The government should have considered the economic benefits the people in the area may obtain from such a project before embarking on it.

Thilanga Sumathipala (UPFA): When we consider the criticisms by the Opposition, we feel as if they were speaking hypocritically.

There had been many incidents on the Expressway, but 2,100 of them had been due to technical problems. Sums of US $ 400 million and 290 million, have been allocated for the construction of expressways from Kaduwela to Kadawatha and Kadawatha to Kerawalapitiya.

Ravi Karunanayake (UNP): The government says the Expressway provides a service. If the government provides a service, why was a fee of Rs 400 being charged? You can scrap it off.

The stock market has fallen by 2.1 yesterday and today by 2.3. The economy is failing. It was the UNP who initiated the construction of the Expressway.

Manusha Nanayakkara (UPFA): The UNP had attempted to construct the Expressway and they had planned to construct two track Expressways. They had to stop it as they had misused the money.

We had planned to construct it with 4 lanes. Now the people of Galle have benefitted. All hotel rooms have been booked by tourists.

We have been able to save the money spent on fuel and the flow of money out of the country.

Janaka Wakkumbura (UPFA): This Expressway was of great service to the majority of the people in our country.

Commuters who travel by buses on the Expressway, request for more buses, as there were a large number of commuters who travel by those buses.

MP Ravi Karunanayake said that he would quote Jeyaraj Fernandopulle from Hansard of 2009. But Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle had been assassinated in 2008. But was Ravi Karunanayake speaking with responsibility?

Health Deputy Minister Lalith Dissanayake: Now schoolchildren can go on a trip along the Expressway.

Sriyani Wijewickrema takes the Chair.

We have earned Rs 151 million from the Expressway. Most of the people have been happy to see these projects, but not the Opposition members. Now we can travel a distance that took 2 and half hours earlier within 45 minutes.

The President said that we would defeat terrorism and we have achieved it. Now see the area around Parliament. Is it not very attractive? Today the people need an administration which could fulfill the needs of the country.

Govt has ushered revival and renaissance to the country

AHM Azwer (UPFA):

The government of President Rajapaksa, has ushered revival and renaissance to the country. The revival had been ushered after the eradication of terrorism from Sri Lanka soil and renaissance from the Mahinda Chinthana Policy framework which had ushered prosperity to the country. The roads network of the country has been of paramount importance to its development. This road network is being improved by the present regime.

The Opposition's arguments are not relevant to the topic that we discuss today.

I call upon the Tamil leaders to corporate with the government, if they intend to live peacefully in this country. They should not go after the Tamil diaspora and work against the country aiming the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The House was adjourned until 1.30 pm today.

At adjournment

Govt has not stopped discussions over the IMF

International Monetary Cooperation Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama, yesterday stated that the government had not stopped discussions with the IMF over the agreements to obtain the next part of loan.

He also said the IMF was not laying conditions to us, but engaged in negotiations to come to a fruitful conclusion.

He was responding to an adjournment motion moved by UNP MP Harsha de Silva.

Govt has devalued rupee by 3 percent

Dr. Harsha de Silva (UNP): The government has devalued the rupee by 3 percent. The Central Government has now decided to let go the hold on the rupee and its value is about 115.30-115.40 currently.

The theory of demand and supply had been a fundamental law in the economy. The government has attempted to control the value of the rupee artificially. The government has increased the taxes abiding to the conditions of the IMF. The government has agreed with the IMF to reduce the budget deficit to 5 percent of the GDP.

This is a good move, but it adds to stress. The government has not been able to meet the conditions it agreed upon with the IMF. As the way things were going on the government will have to increase the fuel prices in the near future.

Ajith P. Perera (UNP):

I second the motion. The government had taken a long time to understand its mistakes. This has incurred a huge waste of money.

International Monetary Cooperation Senior Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama:

Dr. Harsha de Silva referred to a statement of the IMF in September 2011. But there is another new IMF statement of February 3, 2012.

According to the new statement, the IMF encouraged to proceed with its deal. There is no clash with the government and the IMF. It has paid US$ 1.76 billion already and US$ 800 million is yet to be paid. It is a mistake to think that the IMF is not paying this amount, since they are unsatisfied.

Today, the IMF was not dictating terms to other countries, but engages in negotiations for a fruitful conclusion. The government has not stopped discussions with the IMF over the agreement to obtain the rest of the loan.

There are two crises in the country. One is the oil crisis. Not only Sri Lanka, many countries in the world too, have faced this challenge. We are engaging in discussions with other countries to solve this problem. We need to allow imports of necessary goods after a long war in the country. The import of intermediate goods such as oil, had been 3,019 million in 2010 and had increased to 4,505 million in 2011. We have no idea as to how much it would increase in 2012. Therefore we have to be more innovative and strategic.

We hope to reduce the imports of the country strategically. We have to think strategically as how to control the sky rocketing oil prices in the world.

Petroleum Industries Minister Susil Premajayantha: We have not increased the price of petrol and diesel since last September. We have incurred a loss of Rs 41 from one litre of kerosene oil and Rs 22 from one litre of diesel. Presently we have less rain which affects us as we have to generate electricity by the use of fuel.

However, to whom does the government give relief? It is to the people. Even today, some countries in Asia, did not have electricity. But we have given the people electricity 24 hours a day. The crude oil barrel which had been US$ 92 has increased to 101 US$ today. Who get this relief? It's the people. Whatever said and done in the past we have provided electricity to the people 24 hours.