Cabinet heats up over Central Highway 

• President and PM to hold meeting with all ministers concerned to decide fate of Central Highway 

By Chathuri Dissanayake 

The weekly Cabinet meeting held yesterday heated up as two ministers opposed the proposed Central Highway, with the President finally intervening to promise a separate discussion to decide the fate of the project. 

A Cabinet paper presented by Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella quickly led to an argument between three key ministers of the Unity Government, a Cabinet Minister told Daily FT.

 Kiriella presented to the Cabinet a proposal to pay a consultation fee of Japanese Yen 30 million to a Tokyo-based company to carry out an environmental and social feasibility study on the Central Highway which has driven the Good Governance Government into much controversy due to alleged foul play in relation to tender awards. The proposal prompted Megapolis Minister Champika Ranawaka to raise questions on the need to prioritise the highway over other responsibilities of the Government. 

“Minister Ranawaka opposed the Central Highway based on three different aspects, raising concerns of the need for the highway compared to other development projects which should be prioritised,” the Cabinet Minister said.

The Minister has also raised concerns over the financial prudence of opting for more international loans when the country has maxed out its concessionary loan quota from the World Bank, highlighting that the loan will be taken at market rates. 

Ranawaka has also raised issue with the Central Highway when there is a pressing need to improve the road network and accessibility to Colombo where vehicular traffic levels have become unmanageable. Further, Ranawaka has also raised concerns over the environmental impact the construction may have in the Central Province. 

Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara too had spoken against the proposed Central Highway and instead proposed to develop the existing road, widening it into a four-lane road, another senior minister who declined to be quoted told Daily FT. 

The Minister had also stressed that the current Government has already launched a large number of highway projects which total up to 194 km to be completed by 2020 compared to the 170 km built during the Rajapaksa era, he said. 

Presenting data on the number of highways approved for construction and the distance of each, Jayasekara also questioned the need to build yet another highway financed by loans obtained at commercial rates. 

“Minister Kiriella got really annoyed and launched a strong defence, claiming that the UNP who won the elections should do projects that would benefit UNP members. He also said that as the UNP won the Kandy District this project should be done for the benefit of their supporters,” the senior minister said. 

At this point President Maithripala Sirisena intervened, promising to facilitate a meeting with all those concerned in order to decide the fate of the Central Highway.

The Prime Minister, who is on an official visit to Finland, is expected to return tomorrow.