Lanka to spend Rs 105 bn on highway renovation project

Colombo: The abandoned 160km long A-15 highway connecting Trincomalee-Batticaloa for several decades is to be renovated with the construction of five modern bridges over Upparu, Gangai, Ralkuli and Verugal in the Trincomalee district and Kayankerni in the Batticaloa district at a cost of) Rs. 105 billion.

The work is to be carried out under the Trincomalee Integrated Infrastructure Development Project (TIIP) of the Nation Building Ministry.

This is considered to be a major road construction project in the eastern province undertaken since the country gained independence. The preliminary works such as land survey and soil tests have begun and the project is targeted to be completed in thirty months'.

The project includes the reconstruction of roads from Kantale to Seruwila and from 4th mile post of Trincomalee-Ambepussa (A-6) to Thirukonamadu in Polonnaruwa district.

The project funded by the French Government has been undertaken by a Chinese construction firm 'China Harbour Company'.

The Trincomalee-Batticaloa highway starts from the 4th mile-post in Trincomalee town and runs through Kinniya via Upparu, Gangai, Ralkuli, Verugal, Kayankerni to Batticaloa town.

Currently there is only a ferry service connecting Upparu, Gangai, Ralkuli and Verugal rivers in the A-15 highway.

People are not using this highway due to transport difficulties as major portion of the road has been in a dilapidated condition without being maintained for several decades and also without proper ferry services connecting lagoons and rivers cutting across the highway at several points.

Currently Batticaloa and Trincomalee are being connected by 260 km long land route via Habarana on Trincomalee-Kandy highway and Polonnaruwa.

The travel between Trincomalee-Batticaloa would be reduced by about 100 km with the completion of the A-15 highway reconstruction project.