By Pabodha Hettige
Nearly 45 per cent of the 28-kilometre outer circle highway under construction in the suburbs of Colombo city, has been completed, according to the Ministry of Highways. It is scheduled to be opened in 2014.
Currently, the construction of a nine kilometre stretch, from Kaduwela to Kottawa is underway.
The outer circle highway starts from Kerawalapitiya linking the Colombo - Katunayake Expressway and also linking the Southern Expressway crossing at Kottawa. It will cross the main A-1 Colombo-Kandy highway at Kadawatha.
An 18-kilometre stretch––Kaduwela to Kottawa and Kadawatha––of the highway as being constructed under a Japanese aid scheme, sources said.
Construction work on the third stage of the outer circle highway would commence by the end of this year.
Meanwhile, the chief engineer of the Colombo- Katunayaka expressway, P. Gunarathne said that it would be open by early 2013. "Once the four-lane highway is constructed it would take only 20 minutes to travel to Katunayaka," he said.
There would be four interchange points located at the New Kelani Bridge, Peliyagoda, Ja-Ela and Airport junction. It would also have 42 bridges and 80 culverts.
"The expressway is being constructed at an estimated cost of USD 292 million," Gunarathne said. Once completed it would would improve the mobility needs of the industrial zones in the vicinity while reducing the traffic congestion of the area, he said.
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