Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said that a project would be commenced to ease traffic congestion by widening and developing nine arterial roads connecting Colombo.

Addressing the media at his ministry, the Minister said, “Congestion on main roads in the capital is actually a problem that is mainly caused by the traffic at intersections. We have been informed by road users and general public of such bottlenecks. We also call on the public to express their views and direct their suggestions in the coming days so that we may optimise this project because the road users know better when it comes to traffic-related problems.”

Minister Fernando said that the traffic problem on nine main roads had been identified. “A project has now been commenced at a cost of Rs. 23,380 million for widening roads. The road network surrounding the Parliament complex, Colombo-Horana road, Kaduwela-Malabe-Colombo Road, road from Kiribathgoda to Battaramulla, Colombo-Ambatale Road and widening the intersections on Baseline Road, developing the road system in the North-Colombo area, Wellawatte-Dehiwela Marine Drive, and development of intersections linked to the High Level Road have been identified as top priorities of this project as at now.

“It is only natural that when economic development leads to an increase in the number of privately-owned vehicles. Our country suffers huge economic losses due to traffic congestion. A recent study by scholars of the Moratuwa University has revealed that the economic loss incurred due to the traffic congestion on the roads amounts to around Rs. 397 billion annually. It has noted that the traffic congestion in the Colombo city results in a loss of around Rs. 300 million daily. Accordingly, the losses incurred due to the traffic congestion in Colombo and adjacent areas are around 365 billion per year. The incidental losses due to traffic congestion amount to around Rs. 35 billion. We must solve this problem once and for all.” (SI)