(UDHAYAM, COLOMBO) – Plans are underway to rehabilitate 20 highways of A and B classes with a total length of 564.53 km at an estimated cost of Rs. 58 billion within the next 03 years.
About 7, 900 km of highways of a total length of 12, 210 km of highways have already been rehabilitated and about 4, 300 km are to be rehabilitated.
Considering the importance of capacity development of local contractors and the ability to use domestic funds through local banks, the proposal made by Lakshman Kiriella, Minister of Higher Education and Highways, to call for proposals from interested local companies under the Swiss Challenge procurement method has been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Meanwhile, the proposal made by the minister to construct a 4 lane roadway which comprises of tunnels of total length 4.36 km and 1.2 km long roadway connecting Tennekumbura and Suduhumpola for reducing the traffic congestion in Kandy town has also been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
The Estimated cost for this roadway is USD 252.30 million. Economic Development Cooperation Fund of Korea has agreed to provide financial provisions of USD 199.27 for the project.
