US $ 3000 for N-E road construction
by Ananda KANNANGARA
The Highways Ministry yesterday highlighted the construction of a
massive highway project in the Northern and Eastern Provinces to be
commenced shortly with a state allocation of US dollars 3000 million.
Speaking to Sunday Observer, Highways Minister T.B. Ekanayake said at
a time when a peaceful atmosphere prevails in the entire Northern and
Eastern districts, his Ministry has planned to expedite the road
construction work in these districts which will largely help people to
travel in their thousands between the South and the North-East.
He said in addition to main roads which lead to major towns, such as
Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mannar, Trincomalee, Ampara, Kalmunai and Killinochchi
in the North and East, all by-roads and other small roads will also be
constructed under this project.
The Minister said in addition, his Ministry plans to construct
highways and super grade roads in these two districts in future with the
objective of improving fish, dry fish, vegetable and fruit business
activities.
He also focused attention towards the present construction work of
the A-9 road which is used by people to travel between Colombo and
Jaffna and said that it will be widened.
He said 60 per cent of the construction work of the A- 32 road which
runs between Vavuniya and Poonarin has already been completed and over
75 per cent construction work of the Silawatura- Murungan road which has
about 60 km has also started.
Minister Ekanayake said that the construction work of the proposed
bridge between India and Sri Lanka has also come to a standstill on the
grounds that such a road could be used by unwanted
elements to engage in illegal activities.
Speaking on the road construction in the South, the Minister said the
Government has allocated Rs. 295 million for the current year to
construct A and B Grade roads and a record sum of Rs. 80,000 million has
been allocated to construct all other main roads such as from Colombo to
Horana, Ratnapura, Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Anuradhapura and Colombo
to Kataragama.
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