Chinese company to build CKE

Colombo: The government signed a US$ 310 million agreement with a Chinese company to construct the Colombo-Katunayake expressway (CKE).

The agreement to construct the 25.6 km expressway funded by China was signed between the Road Development Authority and the Metallurgical Construction Company (MCC) of China on May 14.

In terms of the agreement, construction is to begin within 60 days and the project completed by 2012.

The four-lane expressway between Colombo and Katunayake will have two interchanges at Kerawalapitiya and Peliyagoda, which is expected to reduce the travel time from Colombo to the airport to 20 minutes.

Prior to the signing of this agreement, there were many false starts to the construction of the Colombo-Katunayake expressway.

Informed soruces said the Sri Lankan man behind MCC of China is Prabath Nanayakkara who earlier had a bruising battle with Senior Presidential Advisor, Basil Rajapaksa for the Hambantota Port project and emerged victorious.

Earlier, a businessman of Sri Lankan origin based in China, Bandula Weerawardhana lobbied for the Colombo-Katunayake expressway project through another Chinese company unsuccessfully.
Weerawardhana said, though he is involved with MCC in China he was not involved in the Sri Lankan project.

Prior to the current award a close relative of the first family was involved in the project through a French company, but it failed due to lack of finances.

The foundation stone for the Colombo-Katunayake expressway was first laid in 1967.