The second stage of the Outer Circular Highway (OCH) from Kaduwela to Kadawatha will be opened by University Education and Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella on 17 September.
With the new OCH, vehicles will be able to reach Matara from Kaduwela in one and a half hours. The 8.9 kilometre Kaduwela – Kadawatha stretch of the OCH was constructed to connect the Southern Expressway, the Katunayake-Colombo Expressway and Colombo-Kandy or Colombo-Northern Expressway, to enable motorists using these roads to bypass Colombo to reach their destinations, the Government Information Department said in a statement.
Construction of the second phase of the OCH from Kaduwela to Kadawatha began in 2012 at an estimated cost of Rs. 44 billion. The cost included, construction of five overpass bridges and the 250 meter long 6-lane bridge over the Kelani River. The four-lane Expressway will have three toll office buildings and six toll plazas.
