Kabir inspects Central Expressway progress

The Central Expressway project from Mirigama to Kurunegala is currently making tremendous progress, Minister of Highways and Road Development Kabir Hashim announced during an inspection tour of it. The Minister also said that the construction of the expressway is being carried out with due consideration to the convenience of the towns, without adversely affecting the environment and while minimising the detrimental impact, if any, on the routine social affairs and activities of the people.

Hashim said that the total cost of the project is Rs. 160.8 billion, and it was launched in January 2017. It is scheduled to be completed by July 2019.

As the present Government deems the Central Expressway as among its many priority projects, it is implementing this project in place of the Northern Expressway project. The aim of this project is to build an expressway which is access controlled from Colombo and extending to the Central Province capital, Kandy, and the ancient historic city Dambulla.

The massive project is phased into four stages - from Kadawatha to Mirigama, from Mirigama to Kurunegala, from Pothuhera to Galagedara, and from Kurunegala to Dambulla, the Minister pointed out.