Transport Minister promises corruption-free development

The present administration aims to advance the country’s development without theft or corruption, the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Bimal Rathnayaka stated.

Minister Rathnayaka made these remarks during the handover ceremony of the Baladaksha Mawatha flyover in Colombo to the public.

He said the country is dealing with an economic crisis which was a result of theft, destruction and mismanagement that ultimately led to bankruptcy.

The Minister said the present administration is determined to overcome these challenges and move forward with development in a transparent and corruption-free manner.

Minister of Transport Bimal Rathnayaka further stated:

“This location is a major traffic hub in the Colombo city, surrounded by busy commercial centers, the Presidential Secretariat, and numerous hotels, making it a site prone to significant congestion.

As a solution to this traffic problem, the construction of three flyovers was planned several years ago. Of these, work on two flyovers has been completed. This flyover was initially scheduled for completion in 2022. However, due to the economic crisis and other factors, construction was delayed for a long period.

Through field inspections conducted with the Inspector General of Police, rapid solutions were found for issues related to police quarters, enabling the acceleration of construction work.

The delay in constructing this flyover, originally planned with a budget of Rs. 2,700 million three years ago, resulted in an additional expenditure of Rs. 1 billion. The completion of this flyover provides great convenience and benefits to the public.”

The Transport Minister also expressed gratitude to the Police Department and the Road Development Authority for their cooperation in ensuring the speedy completion of the project.