COPE unearths irregularities costing billions in construction of Central Expressway

By Saman Indrajith

Massive irregularities in the construction of the Central Expressway were revealed by the COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises) on Friday.  Sources said the irregularities had caused losses running into billiions of rupees.

They said it had been revealed that more than Rs. 1.7 billion were spent on the feasibility study on the road alone.

The delay in the commencement of work on the first section of the Central Expressway, from Kadawatha to Mirigama, during the period 2015 to 2019, had caused a financial loss of Rs. 8 billion.

Sources said it had also been revealed that the selection of SMEC Holdings for the first feasibility study had been done without following procedures.

A change in the original plan to construct the road from Kadawatha, instead of Enderamulla, to Mirigama, had warranted a new feasibility study, which had cost a lot of money. That decision had been taken by the Cabinet in 2015 without consulting experts, sources said.

COPE Chairman Prof. Charitha Herath directed the Secretary to the Ministry of Highways to submit a report on the financial losses incurred due to the abrupt change in the original project.

It was disclosed that an amount of Rs. 159 billion rupees had been allocated and that the decision at issue had been taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM). It has also been revealed that the construction work was delayed for four years due to a payment issue and work commenced only in late 2019, and the delay caused a loss of nearly Rs. 8 billion.

Irregularities in the procurement process as regards the Pothuhera-Galagedara stretch, which is the third section of the Central Expressway, have also been exposed.

The CCEM had pushed for granting the tender to Fujita although MS Taisei should have been given it in accordance with the process and this had led to the delay, sources said.

The COPE has revealed that only 5% of the work on the Kadawatha-Mirigama section has been completed and 75 percent of the work on the second section from Mirigama to Kurunegala had been completed.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Highways said the construction could be completed by next June.

The COPE recommended that a progress report be submitted on the progress of the first, third and fourth sections of the Central Expressway.

It was also revealed that a feasibility study for the construction of this expressway, prior to 2012, had cost about Rs. 284 million.

COPE Chairman also directed the Secretary to the Ministry of Highways to report on the impact of all feasibility studies on the project and its success.

Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, State Ministers Sarath Weerasekara, Dilum Amunugama, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, MPs Eran Wickramaratne, Jagath Pushpakumara and Premanath C. Dolawatta, Ranjan Ramanayake and D. V. Chanaka were present at the Friday’s COPE meeting held at the parliamentary complex.