Northern Expressway, conduit for East, Kandy and South

By Ranil Wijayapala

Faster accessibility has always been a factor to solve issues in the country. Having understood the importance of this, the Government under President Mahinda Rajapaksa spearheaded a massive road development drive in the country after giving leadership to that program as the Minister in charge of Highways.

Project Minister of Highways Nirmala Kothalawala

It was through the implementation of this program that Sri Lanka turned a decade-long dream to reality when it commissioned the first ever expressway from Kottawa to Galle in 2011 and later extended it upto Matara.

This was followed by the Colombo–Katunayake expressway which was connected to the Southern expressway through the first phase of the Outer Circular Highway from Kottawa to Kaduwela.

People are now enjoying the direct benefits of constructing the expressways as they can move faster across the country making use of those expressways to make their journeys much faster than earlier.

However, the Government considers it of utmost importance to connect the North, East and the inner part of the country through expressway network as it would be a factor to connect the people in the North and East with the other parts of the country to enjoy the greater benefits of living in a united country with faster links between the people between North and South.

Biggest project

Highways Ministry Secretary R.W.R. Pemasiri

After the successful commissioning of the two expressways and part of the other expressway, the Government is ready to make a major leap in the highways sector next month by launching Sri Lanka’s biggest development project, the construction of the Northern expressway with a link expressway to Gannoruwa in Kandy.

Project Minister of Highways, Nirmala Kothalawala said that Government is ready to launch this massive expressway project costing nearly Rs. 300 to 350 billion next month and hopes to complete the first section of the Northern expressway upto Galewela along with the link expressway from Pothuhera to Gannoruwa in Kandy in 40 to 44 months.

Project Minister Nirmala Kothelawala said though the initial plans were to construct an expressway to Kandy, it was President Mahinda Rajapaksa who proposed that this expressway should be extended to link the Northern and Eastern parts of the country too.

“Therefore, the launching of this Northern Expressway upto Galewela and Gannoruwa in the first phase will definitely lay the foundation to connect the Colombo city with Jaffna in the North and Trincomalee in the East creating faster link among the major cities in the country,” the Minister said.

“Though there is huge criticism by disgruntled politicians over the road development projects the Government and President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Minister in charge of Highways are bound to listen to the voice of the people who do not wish to spend a major part of their time on the roads. Through the construction of these expressway we are reducing the number of hours people spend on roads,” the Minister said.

“We are preparing the country’s road infrastructure to be on par with the country’s growing population and development needs,” Minister Kothalawala added.

This would reduce the congestion on the Colombo-Kandy road and also on the Ambepussa–Kurunegala - Habarana–Trincomalee road.

Sections

He said the identification of the road corridor and the designing of the expressway upto Galewela and Gannoruwa has been completed with the involvement of local engineers and the contracts will be awarded to local and foreign contractors after dividing it to ten sections.

According to Port Development and Highways Ministry Secretary Ranjith Pemasiri the road corridor has been identified through less populated and uncultivated paddy lands without affecting densely populated areas.

The road will be constructed in elevated form when it goes through marshy lands and flood-prone areas to minimise environmental damage, the Secretary said.

He said to make it convenient for construction work, the expressway from Enderamulla to Galewela has been divided into several sections. The sections include: Enderamulla to Veyangoda (26 km), Veyangoda to Mirigama (16 km), Mirigama to Nakalagamuwa (18 km), Nakalagamuwa to Alakoladeniya (20.1km), Alakoladeniya to Meddeketiya (16.9 km) and Meddeketiya to Galewela (19 km).

The link expressway from Pothuhera to Gannoruwa will be divided into three sections. From Pothuhera to Rambukkana (17.5 km), Rambukkana to Galagedara (18.6 km) and Naranwala to Aladeniya and Gannoruwa (19 km).

Compensation

He said the expressway from Galewela to Dambulla (18.5 km) is still in the planning stage and will be completed after constructing the road upto Galewela. “As an interim measure we plan to widen the existing road from Galewela to Dambulla into a four lane road,” he added.

“Our entire plan is to construct an expressway connecting Colombo city with the North and the East. Therefore, we are planning to connect Jaffna and Trincomalee through this road at the next stages of the project.

“We are paying compensation for every piece of land we acquire for the project and will adopt the same compensation package adopted for the Southern and Katunayake expressways when compensating the affected people under the Land Acquisition Act,” he added. Minister Nirmala Kothalawela said that the compensation will be paid in accordance with the data given by the Divisional Secretaries since there are State and private lands also affected from the project.

A comprehensive resettlement plan has been prepared to compensate the affected people and provide alternative lands for those who fully affected from the project.

According to Northern Expressway Project Director L.V. S. Weerakoon, the expressway will link with the Outer Circular Highway at Enderamulla, Kadawatha providing direct access for the motorists to the Southern and Katunayake expressway.

There will be access points to the Northern Expressway at Gampaha, Veyangoda, Mirigama South, Mirigama North, Nakalagamuwa, Pothuhera, Dambokka, Kurunegala, Rideegama, Melsiripura and Galewela.

The link expressway from Pothuhera to Gannoruwa will have access points at Galagedara, Rambukkana, Aladeniya and Gannoruwa.

He said the trace of the expressway has been identified to minimise environmental damage, displacement of civilians and property damages.

He said the land acquisition for the Northern Expressway Project had already begun. “We have acquired a land area of 6,819 acres for the expressway project and altogether 2,749 families will be affected and 1,234 houses will be fully or partially affected. We have been directed by the President to pay compensation for the lands,” he said.

The Environmental Impact Assessment has been completed for the project and there are no environmental issues relating to the project.

“Ten kilometers of the road will be constructed in elevated form when crossing the flood prone areas as marshy lands and there will be 15 major bridges across rivers such as Maha Oya and Attanagalu Oya and other water ways”, he added.

One feature of the Pothuhera and Gannoruwa is that it goes through the hilly part of the country and will go through 800 metres underground tunnel at Rambukkana to Galagedara section of the expressway. This will be the first such tunnel to be constructed on an expressway and the second tunnel after Ramboda on the Gampola-Nuwara Eliya road.

“We have divided the expressway into ten sections considering the different aspects of construction,” he said.

Sections of the project

Package I – Enderamulla to Veyangoda (26 km)
Package II – Veyangoda to Mirigama (16 km)
Package III - Mirigama to Nakalagamuwa (18 km)
Package IV - Nakalagamuwa to Alakoladeniya(20.1 km)
Package V - Alakoladeniya to Meddeketiya (16.9 km)
Package VI - Meddeketiya to Galewela (19 km)
Package VII - Pothuhera to Rambukkana (17.5 km)
Package VIII – Rambukkana to Galagedara (18.6 km)
Package IX – Naranwala to Aladeniya – Gannoruwa (19 km)
Package X - Galewela to Dambulla (18.5 km) Interchanges distance to the closest city

Interchanges and entry-exit points of the Northern Expressway:

Enderamulla interchange - connects the expressway with Outer Circular Expressway
Gampaha entry-exit point: 10.7 km to Ja-ela, 5.6 km to Miriswatta
Veyangoda entry-exit point: 14 km to Minuwangoda, 3.4 km to Nittambuwa
Mirigama South entry-exit point: 10.7 km to Divulapitiya, 1.8 km to Mirigama
Mirigama North entry-exit point: 9.17 km to Ambepussa, 8.4 km to Giriulla
Nakalagamuwa entry-exit point: 5 km to Narammala, 12.1 km to Alawwa
Pothuhera interchange: 67.8 km to Enderamulla, 74.4 km to Dambulla and 32.5 km to Galagedara
Dambokka entry-exit point: 13.6 km to Polgahawela, 5.2 km to Kurunegala
Kurunegala entry-exit point (A10 road): 2 km to Kurunegala, 9.8 km to Mawathagama
Rideegama entry-exit point: 5.2 km to Ibbagamauwa 4.7 km to Dodamgaslanda
Melsiripura entry-exit point (A6 road): 6.3 km to Gokarella
Galewela entry-exit point (A6 road): 1 km to Galewela

From Pothuhera to Galagedara:

Naranwala interchange: 29.3 km to Pothuhera, 3.2 km to Galagedara, 10.6 km to Aladeniya
Galagedara entry-exit: 12.7 km to Mawathagama, 13 km to Katugastota

Rambukkana entry-exit: 5 km to Rambukkana

Aladeniya entry-exit: 6.5 km to Gannoruwa, 2 km to Hedeniya
Gannoruwa entry-exit: 2.1 km to Peradeniya, 5.6 km to Kandy

Graphical view of the Northern Expressway

Expressway corridor