Major robbery at JAICA funded highway project: Engineer, driver held for removing over 60 tonnes of steel

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Police have taken into custody two persons including an engineer attached to the highway building project at the Kelani Bridge, over alleged removal of over 60 tonnes of steel.

Police said that an engineer and a driver were arrested by the Kelaniya Division and handed over to the Peliyagoda police on Monday (6) night on information elicited from two persons, arrested in connection with removing 19 steel pipes worth Rs. 1,615,000.

According to police headquarters, the engineer and his accomplice had removed over 60 tons of steel from March 15, 2019 to Sept. 3, 2021. They were identified as residents of Hikkaduwa and Angoda.

Sources said that the public property had been removed under the very noses of those who had been responsible for managing the project.

The JAICA-funded project was expected to be completed next month. Planned in 2014, it was launched in 2017 by the yahapalana administration. The project comes under the purview of Highways Minister Johnston Fernando. Sources said that the Ministry would inquire into the organized robbery of steel from the site and the failure on the part of the management.