UPFA to protest if southern highway is not extended

Monday, 25 May 2015 01:19 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) yesterday warned that it would stage street protests if the Colombo-Matara highway was not extended to Beliatta.

UPFA MP Dallas Alahapperuma said that the new Government had promised it would complete the highway projects for 20% less than the originally estimated costs. Alahapperuma however said that while the land for the extension of the Colombo-Matara highway to Beliatta had been acquired, construction work was at a standstill.

“If this Government does not commence work on the highway project we will be compelled to join the people of Matara and protest on the highway,” the former Minister said.

Alahapperuma urged President Maithripala Sirisena to push the Government to go ahead with the extension of the highway to Hambantota via Beliatta, which was part of the original plan of the highway project.

The second phase of the Southern Expressway from Pinnaduwa in Galle to Godagama in Matara was declared open by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in March last year.

The Galle to Matara extension, costing $ 180 million, was funded by the Exim Bank of China and the former Sri Lankan Government had sought funds from China for the Matara-Hambantota extension as well.

The Southern Expressway extension from Matara to Hambantota was to be done in three stages with the first stage being from Matara to Beliatta (30 km), second stage from Beliatta to Wetiya (26 km) and the last stage from Mattala to Hambantota via Andarawewa (25 km).

However, extension work on the expressway from Matara was suspended after the 8 January presidential elections when the new Government came to power.