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The Katunayake expressway was getting its final touches and would be declared open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Oct. 27, Ports and Highways Deputy Minister Nirmala Kotalawala said yesterday.
The Minister said the extension work on the Southern Expressway from Galle to Matara, would be completed by the end of December, providing access to Matara within one and a half hours from Colombo. The 33 km-long expressway from Galle to Matara would be declared open next January, he said.
Kotalawala noted that the third stage of the expressway from Matara to Beliatte and fourth stage from Beliatta to Hambantota would commence with the completion of the Galle-Matara section. "Once completed the expressway will reduce the travel time from Colombo to Matara from the current four and a half hours to one and a half hours," he said.
According to the Minister, the main objectives of the project were reducing the travel time between Colombo and Matara, reducing traffic congestion on Colombo-Matara road and reducing delay costs, fuel costs and thereby positively contributing to the national economy.
Besides, Kotalawala said, it would attract private sector investors and thereby help expand the job market, develop fisheries, agriculture, industries and tourism currently confined to the coastal belt.
According to the National Road Master Plan the priority had been given to the major projects including the construction of Colombo-Katunayake expressway (25.1 km), the Southern Expressway (130 km), the Outer Circular Highway (28 km), the Colombo Kandy Expressway (98 km), the Colombo-Jaffna Expressway(213 km) and the Extension of the Southern Expressway (100 km).
Minister Kotalawala also said that President Rajapaksa would ceremonially open the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, the countrys second E Class highway on Oct. 27.
The 25.8 km Colombo-Katunayake Expressway (CKE) starts from the New Kelani Bridge and ends at the access road to the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake.
Construction on the highway began in August 2009. The expressway was constructed at a cost of USD 350 million. It is expected to reduce the travel time from Colombo to Katunayake to 20 minutes. This expressway is to be connected with the Outer Circular Highway (OCH) at Kerawalapitiya Interchange.
The expressway has been constructed by a Chinese company under the supervision of the Road Development Authority (RDA).
Minister Kotalawala added that the Colombo-Katunayake expressway was the first expressway where sea sand had been used for filling of the road embankment. Soft ground treatment techniques had been adopted as the ground conditions were poor, he added.
Meanwhile, the Ports and Highways Ministry said that it would begin the construction of the Colombo-Kandy expressway before the end of this year and Colombo-Jaffna highway would commence work next year.
The Island
The Minister said the extension work on the Southern Expressway from Galle to Matara, would be completed by the end of December, providing access to Matara within one and a half hours from Colombo. The 33 km-long expressway from Galle to Matara would be declared open next January, he said.
Kotalawala noted that the third stage of the expressway from Matara to Beliatte and fourth stage from Beliatta to Hambantota would commence with the completion of the Galle-Matara section. "Once completed the expressway will reduce the travel time from Colombo to Matara from the current four and a half hours to one and a half hours," he said.
According to the Minister, the main objectives of the project were reducing the travel time between Colombo and Matara, reducing traffic congestion on Colombo-Matara road and reducing delay costs, fuel costs and thereby positively contributing to the national economy.
Besides, Kotalawala said, it would attract private sector investors and thereby help expand the job market, develop fisheries, agriculture, industries and tourism currently confined to the coastal belt.
According to the National Road Master Plan the priority had been given to the major projects including the construction of Colombo-Katunayake expressway (25.1 km), the Southern Expressway (130 km), the Outer Circular Highway (28 km), the Colombo Kandy Expressway (98 km), the Colombo-Jaffna Expressway(213 km) and the Extension of the Southern Expressway (100 km).
Minister Kotalawala also said that President Rajapaksa would ceremonially open the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, the countrys second E Class highway on Oct. 27.
The 25.8 km Colombo-Katunayake Expressway (CKE) starts from the New Kelani Bridge and ends at the access road to the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake.
Construction on the highway began in August 2009. The expressway was constructed at a cost of USD 350 million. It is expected to reduce the travel time from Colombo to Katunayake to 20 minutes. This expressway is to be connected with the Outer Circular Highway (OCH) at Kerawalapitiya Interchange.
The expressway has been constructed by a Chinese company under the supervision of the Road Development Authority (RDA).
Minister Kotalawala added that the Colombo-Katunayake expressway was the first expressway where sea sand had been used for filling of the road embankment. Soft ground treatment techniques had been adopted as the ground conditions were poor, he added.
Meanwhile, the Ports and Highways Ministry said that it would begin the construction of the Colombo-Kandy expressway before the end of this year and Colombo-Jaffna highway would commence work next year.
The Island
