Highways Minister reveals priority development of 15 roads in Gampaha District to reduce traffic congestion

Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando says that a national programme is underway covering the entire country to develop the road network under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour.

Plans had been completed under that national project to solve the traffic congestion problem in the Gampaha city and its suburbs and 15 roads in the district had been earmarked for the development, the minister said speaking to the media after a progress review meeting held at his ministry yesterday.

Among the 15 roads identified to be upgraded and developed immediately in order to address the traffic congestion in the Gampaha and its suburbs was Gampaha-Miriswatta road which would be developed to a four lane highway, the minister said.

The Gampaha-Yakkala road and Veyangoda-Nittambuwa road would also be widened to have four lanes. Pasyala junction too would be widened under the same project. Other roads to be developed were as follows: Ekala –Kotadeniyawa road, Weyangoda-Kal Eliya road, Kalagedihena-Veyangoda road, Nittambuwa- Urapola road, Negombo-Aluthapola road, Pasyala to Giriulla via Mirigama, Minuwangoda-Divulapitiya Road in Ja-Ela, Negombo- Giriulla road and Urapola-Hanwella road. In the Negombo-Giriulla road the stretch up to Y Junction would be widened to be a four-lane road. In addition alternative routes in and around Warakapola would be developed, the minister said.

Minister Fernando said that the first phase of the Central Expressway from Mirigama to Kadawatha would go through Gampaha city. “There is an urgent need to address the traffic congestion problem in the Gampaha City before the sections of the Central Expressway are inter-linked”, he said.

The Minister said that he had instructed Secretary to the Ministry, R.W.R. Pemasiri to expedite the process of development of the 15 roads that had been identified as main places causing traffic congestion in the Gampaha city and its suburbs.