Business
New Kelani Bridge: Sri Lanka benefits from direct technology transfer
Project saw equal involvement of both Japanese and Sri Lankan engineers
by Sanath Nanayakkare
The new bridge across the Kelani river at Peliyagoda – the first extradosed bridge built in Sri Lanka – which is set to be opened soon, saw equal involvement of both Japanese and Sri Lankan engineers, facilitating sustainable technology transfer to Sri Lankan professionals and sub-contracting Sri Lankan companies, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) told the media recently.
“Notably, the project team from Road Development Authority (RDA) – the implementing agency for the Project employed women at professional and management levels, at equal pay as men. The total number of women employed was low compared to the number of men, but Sri Lankan women held key positions such as Project Director from Road Development Authority, and as site engineers and quantity surveyors, thus enabling a direct transfer of technological know-how to Sri Lankan women professionals as well. That was a key feature of this project,” JICA said.
“During the implementation period, the Project team had to face extreme floods, the tragedy of Easter explosions, and the recent global pandemic. Yet they held together, adapting to the situations and adopting innovative measures to secure the safety of project personnel as well as the neighboring communities. Through their determination and teamwork, the project could be completed with the minimum delay despite the gravity of the issues they faced, “JICA said.
Elaborating on the Joint Venture (JV) JICA further said: “The project financed through an Official Development Assistance loan from JICA connects the Orugodawatte and Ingurukade Intersections with the Colombo-Katunayake expressway, enabling seamless flow of traffic – especially for cargo – between Port, Airport and cargo terminals,” they said.
“Environmental and Social Considerations crucial elements in the projects were also financed by JICA. The loan conditions mandate compliance with not only the country regulations, but also the requirements of JICA’s guidelines. In the project, the environmental impact assessment and the resettlement action plan were prepared well in advance, so that the findings and requirements of both were integrated into project design. The project contributed to the improvement of air and water quality in the project area and restoration of bio diversity in the river banks.”
“On social considerations, the project enabled 320 non-titled householders relocated from the river reservation to begin new lives and livelihoods in new homes which they now own.”
“The extradosed design enabled the bridge to span the entire width of the river without a single pier in the water. The bridge approach viaducts of steel box girders were assembled in-situ (in the original place), which is another first in Sri Lanka. This technique enabled space saving and minimum obstruction to traffic at a heavily congested road section.”
“While the technology itself is remarkable, even more so was that it was implemented with equal involvement of both Japanese and Sri Lankan engineers, enabling sustainable transfer of technology.” JICA said.
Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence estimates that 2.3 million bank cards were leaked on the dark web, based on an analysis of data-stealing malware log files from 2023-2024. On average, every 14th infostealer infection results in stolen credit card information, with nearly 26 million devices compromised by infostealers, including more than 9 million in 2024 alone. Kaspersky released its report on the infostealer threat landscape while the technology world gathers at MWC 2025 in Barcelona.
Kaspersky experts estimate that approximately 2,300,000 bank cards have been leaked on the dark web. This conclusion is based on an analysis of the log files from data-stealing malware, dated 2023-2024, that were leaked on the dark web market. While globally the share of leaked cards is well below one percent, 95% of the observed numbers appear technically valid.
Infostealer malware is not only designed to extract financial information, but also credentials, cookies and other valuable user data, which is compiled into log files and then distributed within the dark web underground community. An infostealer can infect a device if a victim unknowingly downloads and runs a malicious file, for example one disguised as legitimate software, such as a game cheat. It can be spread through phishing links, compromised websites, malicious attachments in emails or messengers and various other methods. It targets both personal and corporate devices.
On average, every 14th infostealer infection results in stolen credit card information. Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence experts found that nearly 26 million devices running Windows were infected with various types of infostealers in the past two years.
“The actual number of infected devices is even higher. Cybercriminals often leak stolen data in the form of log files months or even years after the initial infection, and compromised credentials and other information continue to surface on the dark web over time. Therefore, the more time passes, the more infections from previous years we observe. We forecast the total number of devices infected with infostealer malware in 2024 to be between 20 million and 25 million, while for 2023, the estimate ranges between 18 million and 22 million,” says Sergey Shcherbel, expert at Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence.
In 2024, Redline remained the most widespread infostealer, accounting for 34% of the total number of infections.
The most significant surge in 2024 was in infections caused by Risepro, whose share of total infections increased from 1.4% in 2023 to almost 23% in 2024. “RisePro is a growing threat. It was first discovered two years ago but seems to be gaining momentum. The stealer primarily targets banking card details, passwords and cryptocurrency wallet data, and may be spreading under the guise of key generators, cracks for various software and game mods,” explains Sergey Shcherbel. Another rapidly growing stealer is Stealc, which first appeared in 2023 and increased its share from nearly 3% to 13%.
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon’s prowess in comprehensive disclosure of sustainability-related information to stakeholders has won its 2023 Annual Report two top awards at the 2025 Sustainability Reporting Awards presented by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
The Bank was adjudged the overall runner-up and the winner in the Banking category at these awards, repeating the achievement of its 2022 Annual Report which was similarly honoured by the ACCA last year.
The ACCA Sustainability Reporting Awards recognise Annual Reports that clearly acknowledge and explain the economic, environmental and social impacts of the business to internal and external stakeholders, demonstrating the organisation’s policies, targets and long-term objectives towards the goal of sustainable development.
Commercial Bank’s 2023 Annual Report also won two Golds, a Silver and a Bronze at CA Sri Lanka’s ‘TAGS’ Awards 2024, excelling in the key aspects recognised by the awards programme which is dedicated to Transparency, Accountability, Governance, and Sustainability – TAGS.
The Bank won the Gold for ‘Corporate Governance Disclosure’ in the Financial Services sector, the Gold for the Best Annual Report among the private sector banks, the Silver for ‘Digitally Transformative Reporting’ across all sectors, and the overall Bronze award for Excellence in Corporate Reporting.
Caterpillar equipment dealer UTE has delivered the country’s largest Cat D8 Track-Type Tractor to NEM Construction Pvt. Ltd., marking a significant milestone in heavy machinery. This delivery strengthens the long-standing partnership between UTE and NEM Construction, which spans over 45 years. The Cat D8 is expected to boost operational efficiency in large-scale projects. As the sole authorized dealer for Caterpillar in Sri Lanka, UTE continues to provide top-tier machinery and after-sales support. The handover is particularly notable as Caterpillar celebrates its 100th anniversary. NEM Construction’s Chairman, Raja Nanayakkara, praised the Cat D8’s superior performance and UTE’s unmatched service and parts support, which have been key to the company’s long-term collaboration. This purchase highlights the continued trust in both Caterpillar and UTE’s expertise in supporting Sri Lanka’s construction industry.
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