Yahapalana contractor removed from stretch of Central Expressway over ‘no progress’

A contracting company connected to a yahapalana government minister for the construction of the stretch of the Central Expressway from Mirigama to Potuhera had been removed on the orders of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said on Saturday.

The Highways Ministry said, in a media statement, that another company had been contracted to complete the project, delayed for months.

The stretch of the Central Expressway from Mirigama to Potuhera would be completed by March 31 next year, the minister said.

Inspecting the progress of the construction on Saturday, the Minister said: “The previous government awarded the tender to a company connected to a minister in that administration.”

He said that the previous contractor had not expedited the completion of the project despite being paid an additional sum as requested. “We terminated the contract as there was no progress and handed it over to another contractor.”

Minister Fernando, expressing his displeasure at the slow progress of the segment and the failure to meet its targets, said that ministry officials had stated it amounted to sabotage by the company connected to the yahapalana minister.

Minister Fernando ordered that the work on the Expressway be expedited immediately, and said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had ordered that no payment be made for the projects that were not being carried out properly.