Southern Expressway:

ADB funds to rehabilitate access roads

The Government has obtained financial assistance of Rs. 9,348.61 million (USD 85 million) from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to rehabilitate six roads connecting to the Southern Expressway (SE).

The total estimated cost for the rehabilitation of these roads is Rs. 11,613 million (USD 105.6 million).

The rehabilitation work is crucial to improve the connectivity of roads and to realise the full potential benefits from the SE. The Government contribution to this investment will be Rs. 2,265.42 million (USD 20.6 million); while the balance will be obtained as a loan from ADB's Ordinary Capital Resources.

Rehabilitation of the identified road sections will be carried out under the second phase of the ongoing National Highway Sector Project which commenced in 2007 with the aim of rehabilitating 270 kilometres of national highways and improving the transport sector regulatory framework. Under the second phase of the National Highways Sector Project , 62 kms of national highway road sections on Matara - Akuressa (3.40 km), Hikkaduwa-Baddagana (14.34km), Horana - Aguluwatota - Aluthgama (23.48 km), Katukurunda - Naboda (2.72km), Kirulapona - Godagama (5.33 km) and Colombo - Horana (12.7 km) will be rehabilitated. These six road sections usually experience high traffic volume. Therefore, their rehabilitation will facilitate easier access to the new expressway while improving the transport efficiency of the national highways network.

The Road Development Authority, under the supervision of the Ministry of Ports and Highways, will perform as the project implementing agency.

The project is expected to be completed by June 30, 2016. A loan agreement in this connection was signed last week by the Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Planning on behalf of the Government and the ADB Country Director at the Ministry of Finance and Planning.