Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Outer circular highway construction begins in December
(Daily news Monday December 07, 2009)

The construction of the Outer Circular Highway (OCH) under the Greater Colombo Urban Transport Development Project at a cost of Rs 97 billion will commence under President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s directive at Kothalawala, Kaduwela today. Highways and Road Development Minister T.B. Ekanayake told the Daily News tthat the OCH will begin from the Southern Expressway at Kottawa across the five Divisional Secretariat areas of Maharagama, Kaduwela, Biyagama, Mahara and Wattala to Kerawalapitiya.
It would connect the Colombo-Kandy Expressway at Kadawatha and Colombo-Katunayake Expressway at Kerawalapitiya. The total length of the OCH is 29.1 km.Minister Ekanayake said the project will be completed in three stages. Under the first stage, the stretch of the road will be constructed between Kottawa to Kaduwela under an estimated cost of Rs 27 billion which will be funded by Japan International Coorporation Agency. The distance of the stretch of the road is 11km . Construction is expected to be completed within 42 months.
A stretch between Kaduwela to Kadawatha will be constructed at a cost of Rs 37 billion under the second phase. The length of the stretch is 8.9 km which will be completed within three years. The last phase between Kadawatha to Kerawalapitiya will be constructed at a cost of Rs 33 billion. The distance of the stretch is 9.2 km.
This project was initiated to improve the national road network including provincial roads to fulfill another pledge in the Mahinda Chinthana policy frame work which will accelerate the socio-economic development in the country, Minister Ekanayake said.