Recent floods not caused by Southern Expressway construction: Minister

Home Affairs Minister Vajira Abeywardena yesterday categorically rejected the claims that the recent floods in the southern part of the country were caused by the construction of Southern Expressway.

Addressing a press conference at Sirikotha yesterday, the minister dismissed those claims as rather “immature arguments”.

“Such comments may misguide the people. There is nothing wrong in the Southern Expressway. It was properly constructed,” the minister said.

Abeywardena further said the Southern Expressway was an initiative of the UNP back in 2001 when there was a coalition Government of President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

“It was Minister Tilak Marapana and I who laid the foundation stone for the expressway. Under the previous reign, it was removed and replaced with a new stone. Despite that we assume the full responsibility of this expressway, and we will not let it cause any problem. Foreign consultants were also involved in that project” he noted.

The minister said recent floods were not caused by the Expressway, but because of the absence of water basins to retain water in the upper parts of the river. “Expressways are needed for the country. The Southern Expressway is being extended to Beliatte and it should also be extended to Badulla via Monaragala” he added.

Western Development and Megapolis Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka recently told a press conference that the Southern Expressway contributed to the flood havoc in the South. Asked about this comment, the minister said if there were issues concerning the construction of expressway those could be rectified.

“Ministers are entitled to their own views, but we come to common ground when it comes to the implementation of Government policies” the minister said when queried about Ranawaka’s contradictory stance that improving public transport is what the country needs rather than expressways,” Abeywardena added. 

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