News
Highways Minister to launch project to widen bottlenecks in Colombo
Chief Government Whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said that a project would be commenced to ease traffic congestion by widening and developing nine arterial roads connecting Colombo.
Addressing the media at his ministry, the Minister said, “Congestion on main roads in the capital is actually a problem that is mainly caused by the traffic at intersections. We have been informed by road users and general public of such bottlenecks. We also call on the public to express their views and direct their suggestions in the coming days so that we may optimise this project because the road users know better when it comes to traffic-related problems.”
Minister Fernando said that the traffic problem on nine main roads had been identified. “A project has now been commenced at a cost of Rs. 23,380 million for widening roads. The road network surrounding the Parliament complex, Colombo-Horana road, Kaduwela-Malabe-Colombo Road, road from Kiribathgoda to Battaramulla, Colombo-Ambatale Road and widening the intersections on Baseline Road, developing the road system in the North-Colombo area, Wellawatte-Dehiwela Marine Drive, and development of intersections linked to the High Level Road have been identified as top priorities of this project as at now.
“It is only natural that when economic development leads to an increase in the number of privately-owned vehicles. Our country suffers huge economic losses due to traffic congestion. A recent study by scholars of the Moratuwa University has revealed that the economic loss incurred due to the traffic congestion on the roads amounts to around Rs. 397 billion annually. It has noted that the traffic congestion in the Colombo city results in a loss of around Rs. 300 million daily. Accordingly, the losses incurred due to the traffic congestion in Colombo and adjacent areas are around 365 billion per year. The incidental losses due to traffic congestion amount to around Rs. 35 billion. We must solve this problem once and for all.” (SI)
NPP Parliamentarian Asoka Ranwala who was appointed the 22nd Speaker of Sri Lanka’s Parliament, on 21st November has resigned from his position today [13], in the wake of the controversy surrounding his educational qualifications.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has officially appointed members to the Port City Economic Commission.
Accordingly Harsha Amarasekera, President’s Counsel, has been appointed as the Chairman while Damien Amal Cabraal, Mohan Ray Abeywardena, Sanjaya Kulatunga, and Dr. Harsha Subasinghe were appointed as members of the Port City Economic Commission
The official letters of appointment were handed over to the members by the Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat today (13).
“We will not allow the trust the people have placed in us to be undermined in any way,” stated President Anura Kumara Dissanayake during a meeting with the heads of state media today (13).
He further emphasised, “Regardless of their status in government, if mistakes are made, we will not hesitate to take appropriate action.”
The President further explained:
“For more than seven decades, the people of this nation have built and dismantled various governments. For the first time, we stand with a profound understanding of the historic mandate entrusted to us and the National People’s Power on two occasions.
The people placed their faith in the National People’s Power (NPP) government, hoping for a standardised and stable country. We will not tarnish that extraordinary trust, even by the slightest misconduct.
Simply put, our government is not here to shield anyone who errs, for any reason. Be it within the broader framework of the country or within our administration, anyone found guilty of wrongdoing will face consequences. We will not hesitate to act decisively and at the right time. In essence, our government will not shield anyone who makes a mistake, regardless of the reason. Whether the mistake occurs within the country or at any level within our government, we will not hesitate to take decisive action. Every necessary step will be taken at the appropriate time without delay.”
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also reaffirmed his government’s unwavering commitment to upholding the trust placed in them by the people, who have endured decades of deception. He pledged to work tirelessly to build a better nation.
The Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr Nalinda Jayatissa, Director-General of Government Information, Harsha Bandara, and the heads of state media were present at the meeting.
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