Highways Minister Johnston Fernando directed the Highways Ministry to submit a report with immediate effect on the deceleration of the expressway from Kadawatha to Mirigama, stated the Highways Ministry in a communique.
The following directive was given by the Minister when Parliamentarian Upul Mahendra Rajapaksha representing Gampaha District together with other members of government stated that the commissioning of the expressway was not carried out to a point of satisfaction.
The discussion regarding the aforesaid was undertaken at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Highways conducted in Parliament on Monday.
Accordingly, the Highways Minister having directed to expedite the commissioning of the Expressway, invited the Members of Parliament to accompany him on a site visit to oversee the ongoing construction work, affirming that a date would be given for that purpose as soon as possible.
It was disclosed at the committee that a request had been received to make the second payment despite the deceleration of the construction work. The Minister thus ordered the officials to stop the payment immediately. The Minister emphasized that the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed to not pay for projects that are not being carried out properly.
Thus, the Minister stated given that many issues have risen causing the deceleration of the construction work due to the affiliation of unsuitable contractors under the iRoad Project, to suspend the contracts made with such contractors who have failed to complete their work in due course and have them blacklisted. Furthermore, the Minister stated that the incomplete contracts will be removed from the respective contractors and handed over to the Construction Division of the Ministry of Highways for completion.
Requests pertaining to the restoration of roads in Nuwara Eliya and roads in Yakkalamulla area, introducing road system with access to rural villages in the Anuradhapura District expediting the construction of those roads were brought to the attention of the Minister during this meeting to which the Minister of Highways Johnston Fernando responded assuring to look into the aforesaid as soon as possible.
In addition to the above, renovating the bridges such as the main bridge at Wakwella, Dodangoda and Yatiyantota, Renovation of the vital road system of the Himaduma electorate, construction of bridges for the villages that cannot be crossed across Gin Ganga were also highlighted at the meeting.
It was also highlighted that by providing a daily wage for cleaning service workers in urban areas a service of better quality could be encouraged. The committee also suggested that it would be better if a special unit could be set up for the purpose of urban city landscaping.
State Minister Nimal Lanza, Members of Parliament and senior officials representing the Ministry of Highways were present at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Highways.