Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena said that around 7,000 road construction projects implemented in the country, including in the North East, have been stopped. The minister stated this at the press conference held yesterday (14) to announce the Cabinet decisions at the Government Information Department.
The minister said that the Central Expressway has stopped due to not receiving loans from China’s Exim Bank.
“The 40 km stretch from Kadawatha to Mirigama, the road that was planned to be completed for Rs.158 billion has been stopped.
Now the estimated cost for this road has gone upto Rs.265 billion”.
“The Hungarian government had agreed to finance two flyovers and started two in Getambe and Kohuwala. But the Hungarian government will not give money to complete the construction of bridges until the debt is restructured”.
“The first project under the loan scheme of the Asian Development Bank is 10 years from 2014 to 2024.
A project worth 800 million US dollars. This has 3,055 rural roads and 400 urban roads. A total of 3,455 roads”.
“Phase two of the project was signed in 2017 and will be completed in 2027 and the investment is 900 million US dollars.There are 3,055 rural roads and 340 urban roads.
All these have come to a halt. Loans will not be given unless the debt is restructured. If we cannot achieve international credibility according to the conditions of the International Monetary Fund, we as a country will not be able to do any business with the world” he said.
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