Central Expressway: Mirigama to Kurunegala section to open soon

The section of the Central Expressway between Mirigama and Kurunegala will be opened this month, Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said in Parliament yesterday (15).

He said that the entire Central Expressway would be completed within two years.

The Minister was responding to a question raised by Chief Opposition Whip Lakman Kiriella regarding the Central Expressway. The Minister said that he was ready to reveal to the country the order in which the Government had awarded contracts for the Expressway and requested for a debate. Minister Fernando said that more than Rs. 1 billion was paid for kilometre of road at that time.

“For the corruption you have done, I wonder how you come to Parliament without any shame,” the Minister asked the Opposition.

He said that the Good Governance Government had failed to commence work on the Central Expressway section from Kadawatha to Mirigama over five years, adding that they had carried out the construction on the Central Expressway in a haphazard manner where there was no beginning or no end. He also said that the foundation stone for the Central Expressway was laid by then President Mahinda Rajapaksa, adding that those who had engaged in corruption related to this project should now be in prison.

MP Kiriella also agreed that a debate should be held on the Central Expressway. He said that the Good Governance regime has completed around 90% of the construction of the Central Expressway.

(Source: Daily News – By Sandasen Marasinghe, Camelia Nathaniel and Amali Mallawaarachchi)