Work on the new bridge construction project over the Kelani River which will help to ease traffic congestion especially in Colombo and its suburbs has been expedited.
The project where a 380-metre-long six-lane bridge across the Kelani River and its approaches is being constructed at a cost of Rs. 55 billion under the financial assistance of both JICA and the Sri Lankan government.
Highways, Road Development and Petroleum Resources Development Minister Kabir Hashim said the new Kelani bridge project will be connected to the Colombo – Katunayake Expressway facilitating passengers traveling to and from the Bandaranaike International Airport. “When the project started in 2017, we took the humane step of providing lands and new houses for 4,000 families displaced by the project,” he said.
The Minister was speaking during an observation tour of the construction of the new Kelani bridge project on Tuesday.
He said that alternative buildings for the government institutions which had to be relocated due to the project have been constructed. The project is expected to be completed by next year and the travel time between Colombo and the Kelani Bridge will be just 10 minutes.