Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways, Dr. Prasanna Gunasena, has clarified that reports suggesting the construction work on the Ruwanpura Expressway has been abandoned are entirely false.
He explained that the construction work has only been temporarily suspended.
Dr. Gunasena further confirmed that the government has decided not to proceed with the construction of the expressway this year, as no financial allocation has been made for it in the current budget.
The Ruwanpura Expressway, initially planned to span from Kahathuduwa to Ratnapura via Horana and Ingiriya, has been put on hold.
The Deputy Minister explained that this decision was made as the current government is prioritizing other development projects based on a set priority list.
As part of this prioritization, the government plans to begin construction on the Kurunegala-Galagedara section of the Central Expressway.
The construction will be carried out in two phases: the Pothuhera-Rambukkana section and the Rambukkana-Galagedara section.
Dr. Gunasena stated that the Pothuhera-Rambukkana section is expected to be completed by next year, while the Rambukkana-Galagedara section is anticipated to be finished within three years.
In addition, the long-delayed Kadawatha-Mirigama section is now set to proceed with assistance from China.
A group of representatives from the Export-Import Bank of China (EXIM) is expected to visit Sri Lanka to observe the ongoing construction work.
Dr. Gunasena also revealed that a section of the Kadawatha-Mirigama road, which collapsed during development work, is currently under repair at a cost of Rs. 7 billion.
