Minister of Transport and Highways, Bimal Ratnayake, launched a scathing attack on the Central Expressway project in Parliament, calling it “a theft, a fraud, and a tragedy” that has already cost Sri Lanka dearly. He revealed that the country is now liable to pay over Rs. 55 billion in fines due to repeated delays in construction.
Speaking on the future of the expressway, Minister Ratnayake confirmed that construction on the long-delayed Kadawatha section the key link to the Central Expressway is scheduled to begin in August. The tender process has already been initiated, he said.
“The longer we delay, the more we lose. This is a project mired in financial mismanagement and contractual blunders,” the Minister said. He also pledged that under the current administration, any road built will come with a guaranteed lifespan of at least 12 years.
He further explained that the main highway construction is expected to commence within the next few weeks, depending on the conclusion of loan negotiations either with China or through domestic financing. The government remains committed, he said, to completing the project despite the costly setbacks.
The Central Expressway, once touted as a game-changing infrastructure project for connectivity and logistics, has now become emblematic of poor planning and mounting penalties. With billions already lost and international lenders growing impatient, the pressure is on for the government to prove that it can deliver where past regimes failed.
