Road network meets development program

By Mohammed Naalir

The development of the country's road network is vital with the implementation of livelihood and infrastructure development projects, Ports and Highways Deputy Minister Nirmala Kothalawala said.

He said that a good road network is important to meet the country's development program. The Government has implemented various development projects under the Mahinda Chinthana and Idiri Dekma national development paradigms to improve the economic and living standards of the people.

The Northern and the Eastern provinces are being developed parallel to the other provinces after the dawn of peace in the country, Deputy Minister Kothalawala said.

He said the Government has implemented several road development projects including in the North and the East under the Uthuru Wasanthaya, Negenahira Navodaya, Maga Neguma and Gama Neguma programs.

The Government plans to implement a road development project covering the entire Northern Province under the Uthuru Wasanthaya accelerated Northern development program.

Several road development projects implemented by the Government are nearing completion.

The A-9 road is being developed. The A-9 road is the main land route linking the South with the North. The second important road in the Eastern coast is the A-15 which connects the Batticaloa district with Trincomalee. Prior to the opening of the A-15 road vehicles and passenger transport buses used the Polonnaruwa-Habarana route to reach Trincomalee from Batticaloa and vice versa. The journey was too long and time consuming, the Deputy Minister said.

The Government has successfully completed several road development projects by August 31 this year, a spokesman at the Deputy Minister's office said.

A flyover is being constructed at the Mattala airport access road junction and Hambantota hub development at a cost of Rs. 3,090 million. Another flyover is being constructed at the bypass road junction in the Hambantota hub development at a cost of Rs. 2,890 million.

Deputy Minister Nirmala Kothalawala operates a backhoe machine. Senior Minister A.H.M. Fowzie looks on.	Deputy Highways Minister Nirmala Kothalawala and Deputy State Resources Enterprise Development Minister Sarath Kumara Gunaratna inspect the progress of construction work at Deegavapi Road in Ampara.