OCH 80 percent complete

Irangika Range

About 80 percent of work on the first phase of the OCH (Outer Circular Highway) has been completed. It will be vested with the people in September.

Ports and Highways Deputy Minister Nirmala Kothalawala said the objective of the OCH is to connect the Southern Expressway, the Katunayake-Colombo Expressway and Colombo-Kandy or Colombo-Northern Expressway enabling motorists using these roads to bypass Colombo to reach their destinations.

Ports and Highways Deputy Minister Nirmala Kothalawala inspecting the OCH construction work.

This OCH would provide alternative means for the public to reach their destinations without traveling to Colombo, which can be time-consuming for motorists.

Deputy Minister Kothalawala making an inspection and fact finding tour of the OCH construction site from Kottawa to Kaduwela yesterday said that construction of the OCH has been carried out in three phases.

The length of the highway will be around 29.1 kilometers starting from the Kottawa and ending at the Kerawalapitiya providing an orbital beltway to bypass the city of Colombo and reduce traffic congestion. The total estimated cost of the project is Rs.136 billion.

The first section from Kottawa, Makumbura to Kaduwela was initiated in December 2009 and the work of the second part of the highway from Kaduwela to Kadawatha is progressing at a rapidly. Ninety percent of the construction work on second phase too has been completed.

Construction work of the third phase of the OCH from Kadawata to Kerawal apitiya has also commenced last month.

Over Rs. 25 billion has been allocated for the construction of a stretch of 11 kilometers between Kottawa and Kaduwela under the first stage. A 3.3 km long viaduct has been elevated to bypass marshy areas or water retention areas in Mahawela between Kottawa and Kaduwela", he added.

At Kottawa, Makumbura the OCH will be connected to the Southern Expressway and also to the Colombo-Avissawella-Ratnapura-Badulla-Wellawaya A-4 road known as the High Level Road.

The second phase of the OCH from Kaduwela to Kadawata which will be 8.9 kilometers, is estimated to cost Rs.45 billion. A 4.7 km long viaduct is in progress under the second stage. The third phase of the project from Kadawata to Kerawalapitiya with a 9.2 kilometer stretch is estimated to cost Rs.66 billion. There will be five interchanges to the OCH at Kottawa, Athurugiriya, Maththumagala, Kadawata, Kaduwela and Kerawalapitiya.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency has funded the first and second stages while the China Harbour Engineering Co Ltd will provide financial assistance for the third stage. Meanwhile, the government has paid Rs.1.6 billion as compensation to families for the acquired lands during the first stage.

"We are planning to complete the second section by 2015 and the third section by the end of 2016", he added.

The OCH will also be connected to the Low Level road or old Avissawella road at Hewagama, Kaduwela. Once completed, the motorists using the Low Level road can enter the Southern Expressway, Kandy Expressway and the Katunayake Expressway through the Hewagama, Kaduwela interchange of the OCH. The OCH also can be used as an entry point for containers coming from Biyagama Free Trade Zone to Katunayake. From Kaduwela, it will be connected to Gampaha district across the Kelani River and then to Kadawata.

The OCH will also link the Colombo-Kandy A-1 road and the proposed Colombo-Kandy Expressway or the Northern Expressway. The deputy minister said the development of the country's road network is instrumental in accelerating the development programmes.

"The commencement of the construction of this long awaited project will provide a number of benefits to the people. Among them are promoting outward migration of public from Colombo, improving user benefits to the rapidly expanding transport traffic and improving mobility needs of the industrial development areas in the vicinity and the associated container traffic," the deputy minister said.