USD 500M Chinese Loan Powers Expressway Revival

COLOMBO (News 1st); Construction of the section between Kadawatha and Mirigama of the Central Expressway will resume tomorrow, presided over by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The project, which was halted in mid-2022 due to the economic crisis, is now back on track with renewed financial backing. 

According to Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways, Dr. Prasanna Gunasena, the resumption has been made possible through a loan assistance package of USD 500 million from China’s Exim Bank.

The 37-kilometer section is expected to be completed by mid-2028.

In parallel, construction will also begin on the Kadawatha Interchange Center and the initial 500 meters of the expressway starting from Kadawatha. This segment is being funded by the Government of Sri Lanka at a cost of Rs 8.6 billion.