Sri Lanka will be economic centre in South Asia: Ranil

• Prime Minister flags off Kandy-Colombo Highway’s first phase; China’s MCC agrees to build key facility 50% lower than amount agreed under MR regime
• Ranil says Kelaniya, Biyagama and Kaduwela will be integral part of Western Province’s megapolis

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday declared that Sri Lanka would be turned into the economic centre of South Asia.  

The Prime Minister made this observation at the inauguration of the first stage of the Colombo-Kandy highway in Puwakpitiya Kadawatha yesterday.

The second phase will be conducted from Mirigama to Kurunegala. The third phase of the Expressway will be built from Kurunegala to Kandy. The Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC) has come forward to construct the highway at a price which is 50% lower than the figure agreed upon by the company earlier selected for the project.

The total distance of the expressway is 98km.

“This will be the first stage of the Government’s program to build a new country in 60 months,” Wickremesinghe said.

He also said that the expressway would connect several economic zones. Wickremesinghe added that the Government under his leadership in 2002 had determined that a major highway leading to Kandy was necessary. Accordingly, the necessary plans were prepared. However, the project came to a standstill with the defeat of the Government.  

The Prime Minister further said that a megapolis would be set up in the Western Province centring on Kelaniya, Biyagama and Kaduwela.

A fully-fledged hospital and a Technological Education Faculty for Biyagama will be provided to Kadawatha. The third industrial zone will be established in Dompe.

Minister of Highways and Investment Promotion Kabeer Hashim also spoke while Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake and State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardena were also present at the occasion.