UPFA accuses UNP of corruption in Chinese highway deal

The United People?s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) today accused the United National Party (UNP) led Government of?signing a suspicious?highway deal with a Chinese company.

UPFA member Dullas Alahapperuma said that the same Government which had accused the former regime of corrupt deals with China was now facing the same accusations.

He claimed that for the Central Expressway project between Kandy and Colombo, the Government has signed a Rs. 150 billion deal with a Chinese construction company for the first stage.

Under the deal the first stage of the 32 km, four lane, expressway the Chinese company will be paid at the rate Rs. 4.8 billion per kilometer.

He said that in comparison the Southern Expressway cost Rs 870 million per km, the Katunayake Expressway Rs. 1.2 billion per km, the Hambantota to Matara Expressway Rs. 1.5 billion per km and Outer Circular Highway Rs. 6 billion per km for six lanes.

The former Minister also claimed that a local consultancy firm consisting of Sri Lankan engineers had estimated the Expressway at Rs. 120 billion.

Alahapperuma said that since the cost of fuel and tar had reduced in the recent times the cost for the construction of the highway should also be less.

He said that the deal is more corrupt than the Central Bank treasury bond issue.?(Colombo Gazette)