President Rajapaksa: Expedite work on Northern Expressway

Wednesday, 7 August 2013 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

President Mahinda Rajapaksa requested that the work on the Northern Expressway be expedited when he met with a delegation from the China Merchants Group (CMG) headed by the company president, Li Jianhong, earlier this week at Temple Trees. Indicating the current level of development taking place in the north, President Rajapaksa stressed how important he highway will be for people, making it easier and faster to travel between the north and south. Also a partner in the Colombo Port Expansion Project, the CMG delegation was in Sri Lanka for the opening of the Colombo Port South Terminal.

“This harbour is very competitive in the South Asian region,” Jianhong said, pointing out that the harbour will not only benefit South Asia but also the wider Asian region. On the Northern Expressway project, CMG is now carrying out the feasibility study as well as the preparation of the technical and financial reports. While Jianhong described how well his company and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) had collaborated on the port project, President Rajapaksa expressed confidence in CMG’s ability to implement work on the expressway as soon as possible. The Ambassador of China in Sri Lanka Wu Jianghao and several high-level officials from CMG also joined the discussion with President Rajapaksa. Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs Karunatilaka Amunugama, Secretary to the Ministry of Ports and Highways R.W.R. Pemasiri and Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama were also present.