Construction of Matara – Hambantota expressway launched

Construction work on the Southern expressway linking Matara and Hambantota, was launched today by President Maithripala Sirisena.

President Sirisena unveiled a plaque at the site where construction will begin, in the presence of Government Ministers and the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka?Yi Xianliang.

The expressway will be linked to the existing southern expressway which connects Colombo and Matara via the southern Galle town.

The existing Galle to Matara extension costing US$ 180 million was funded by the Exim Bank of China.

The southern expressway which connects Colombo to Galle and Colombo to Matara was to be extended to Hambantota as part of the project plan of the former Government.

However the new Government which took office in January this year had decided to review some of the projects initiated by the former regime following allegations of corruption and lack of transparency when the deals were originally signed.

The Government had later decided to continue with the extension plan of the Southern expressway with Chinese funding.? (Colombo Gazette)