September 14, Colombo (LNW): After more than two years of inactivity, construction on a key segment of the Central Expressway is set to recommence this month, marking a renewed push in the country’s long-delayed infrastructure development efforts.
The section between Kadawatha and Mirigama, which had been stalled since mid-2022 due to severe financial constraints, is scheduled to resume on September 17 with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expected to officiate the relaunch ceremony.
The revival of this major project is being seen as both a symbolic and practical milestone in the government’s attempts to reinvigorate national transport networks in the wake of the economic downturn.
Alongside the relaunch, work will begin on the Kadawatha Interchange Hub—a critical access point linking the expressway to multiple transport corridors—as well as the first 500-metre stretch extending from Kadawatha itself.
This initial segment is being prioritised to lay the groundwork for the larger expressway build, which spans 37 kilometres in total.
The government has earmarked Rs. 8.6 billion for this phase of the development, signalling a significant capital commitment to a project many had feared would remain dormant indefinitely.
According to Dr Prasanna Gunasena, Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways, the expressway’s recommencement has been made possible through a substantial financial facility secured from the Export-Import Bank of China, amounting to USD 500 million.
This loan is expected to cover core construction, engineering consultations, and associated infrastructure development over the next several years.
The Kadawatha–Mirigama section is projected to be completed by mid-2028, and once operational, it is anticipated to ease traffic congestion along major national routes whilst significantly reducing travel time between the Western and North-Western provinces.
It also forms a crucial link in the broader expressway network designed to improve commercial connectivity across the island.
Transport officials have underscored the expressway’s long-term benefits for logistics, tourism, and investment, with particular emphasis on job creation and regional development during the construction phase.
Whilst some challenges remain—including the coordination of land acquisitions, environmental assessments, and contractor mobilisation—the resumption of work signals a shift in momentum for large-scale infrastructure delivery, which had been severely affected by the nation’s fiscal crisis.
