A new journey begins

Sri Lanka’s first highway gleams to the distance as a symbol of the future and an indication of the challenges ahead.

The Japanese Government, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and China’s Exim Bank are the main partners in funding the US$ 815 million project that was initially begun in 2003.

As one of the largest infrastructure projects envisioned by the then Government, the highway ran into political and funding quagmires that eventually saw not only its initial plan changing but also significant rise in costs.