One hundred sixty road development projects in 160 electorates and planting two million saplings on either sides of the roads commenced yesterday to mark the first anniversary of the tenure of the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Highways Minister and Chief Government Whip Johnston Fernando inaugurated the events by commencing work on the Kapuduwa Interchange on the Southern Expressway and planting a sapling.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Power and Energy Minister Dullas Alahapperuma, Rural Roads and Other Infrastructure State Minister Nimal Lanza, Fisheries and Ports State Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, Matara District Coordinating Committee Chairman Nipuna Ranawaka, Parliamentarian Weerasumana Weerasinghe and many others were present.
The Kapuduwa Interchange will be constructed under the Southern Expressway Extension Project as an entry point to the Matara-Hakmana Road. It will cost Rs. 387.5 million and six months will be taken to finish the project.
The interchange will start from the 130.6th km post on the Expressway.
Vehicles travelling on the Southern Expressway from Katunayake and Colombo could easily reach Kamburupitiya and Matara via the Kapuduwa Interchange. The distance from the Kapuduwa Interchange to Matara is 6 km and to Kamburupitiya 11 km.
Work was also commenced on the Pahalavitiyala Samagi Mawatha from the Polatugoda Bridge, the road from the Hatamuna Junction to Batuwita Urapola, the Samapura Road from Uda Aparekka East to Uda Aparekka North and the Welihinda Kotawila Rural Road in the Matara District.
These projects will be launched in line with the national programme to develop 100,000 km of roads under the 'Vision of Prosperity' of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.