The Ministry of Highways says that the second phase of the Central Expressway, also known as the ‘Ethugalpura Entrance’, which was declared open to the public on Saturday, has generated an income of over Rs. 2.8 million within the first 12 hours of operations. 

Motorists had been allowed to use the newly-opened stretch of the Central Expressway toll-free until Sunday afternoon while the toll booths had been operational from 12 noon onwards.

Accordingly, the income generated by the new section of the expressway between 12 noon to midnight on Sunday (16) has been estimated as approximately Rs. 2,805,100.

The ministry said that 13,583 vehicles had used the expressway from Kurunegala to Mirigama within that 12-hour period while no vehicular accidents were reported during that time

The Road Development Authority (RDA) had achieved the highest-ever revenue of Rs. 8.8 billion via expressways in 2021, reflecting a 21 percent  increase from the previous year.

The outstanding performance is amidst the disruptions caused by the pandemic, particularly during the period from mid-May to end October.

In 2021, the total toll revenue of Southern Expressway and Outer Circular Highway was Rs. 4.5 billion whilst earnings of Colombo-Katunayake Expressway and Outer Circular Highway were Rs. 4.3 billion.

 Accordingly, RDA has collected an average Rs. 734 million monthly through the expressway network.

As per the Central Bank Annual Reports, overall revenue generated from expressways in 2020 was Rs. 7.3 billion; in 2019, it was Rs. 8.6 billion; and in 2018, it was Rs. 8.4 billion. T

he commuter usage dropped owing to the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019 and COVID-19 outbreak followed travel restrictions in 2020.

“The revenue generated through the expressway is commendable and a great recovery of the economic activities overall considering the challenges faced during 2021.

 The bulk of the revenue was generated as a result of increased leisure travels by the general public following lockdowns and festive seasons,” Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said.

Last year, the total toll revenue collected via Southern Expressway from Kottawa – Godagama was Rs. 3.2 billion, whilst Southern Expressway extension from Palatuwa to Barawakkumbura was Rs. 1.3 billion. 

The toll income of Colombo – Katunayake was Rs. 1.8 billion, while the Outer Circular Highway from Kottawa to Kerawalapitiya was Rs. 2.5 billion.

Total traffic through the expressway network for the entirety of 2021 was 38.6 million (38,663,651 million), where monthly traffic volume usage was 3.22 million. On average, over 107,000 vehicles used the expressway network last year. 

ndia will stand with Sri Lanka and continue to work for the development of Indian origin Tamil community while extending  a total quantum of around US$ 3.5 billion, development assistance cutting across sectors spanning from infrastructure development to all aspects of daily human lives such as education, health, livelihood, among others. 
 Estate workers from plantation areas have been at the centre of the such assistance and several projects implemented through grant assistance by Government of India including the 150-bed hospital in Dickoya, multi-purpose hall in Saraswathy Central College in Pussellawa etc reinforce India’s ongoing focus on the region under the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.
       this was disclosed by Indian High Commissioner  in  Sri Lanka   Gopal Baglay when he addressed  at a public ceremonyt in Kotagala on 15 January 2022. 
 Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Namal Rajapaksa,  Jeevan Thondaman, Minister of State for Estate Housing and Community Infrastructure jointly handed over house keys to more than 1000 beneficiaries from plantation areas of Sri Lanka

 Speaking on the occasion, High Commissioner conveyed Pongal greetings in Tamil. He stressed that India will stand with Sri Lanka and continue to work for the development of Indian origin Tamil community.
 He noted that the community was an organic link between India and Sri Lanka and underlined that the Festival of Pongal represented shared civilizational ties between the two countries. 

  Handed over houses were built under the third phase of the Indian Housing Project. 4000 houses are being constructed with grant assistance from Government of India in planation areas, spread across seven Districts of Sri Lanka, under this phase for the estate workers in Sri Lanka. 
Around 3000 houses have already been handed over to beneficiaries till date and handing over of close to 750 houses is being scheduled under this phase. Remaining houses are at various stages of implementation. 

Indian Housing Project is a flagship development assistance programme in Sri Lanka which is being carried out in different phases. 46,000 houses were built/repaired in Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka in the first two phases. 
Another 10,000 houses shall be constructed in the plantation areas in the next phase. This would take Government of India’s overall commitment under the project to 60,000 houses. 

 The dignitaries took part in a traditional ‘Maatu Pongal’ ceremony prior to the handing over event, which was attended by thousands and featured cultural performances. 

Sri Lankans are to face a four hour power cut daily as a result of fuel scarcity and the drop in water level of hydropower reservoirs in the country, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) Engineers Union warned.

The CEB currently possessed 3000 metric tonnes of diesel sufficient for two or three days to generate electricity and furnace oil adequate for 22 days to run generators , president of the CEB Engineers Union Saumya Kumarawadu  disclosed.    

Accordingly the electricity board is compelled to reduce the power demand by enforcing power cuts for longer hours after three days’ time   to maintain the balance in the grid system, he divulged. 

Hydropower generation will also have to be curtailed; the hydroserviour water is being managed for irrigation purposes in agriculture, for drinking and environmental conservation activities, he added. 

CEB Engineer Kumarawadu noted the delay in the construction of new power plants, cancellation of power projects and the lack of power plants for emergency use.

Power Minister Gamini Lokuge noted there will be no power cuts until Tuesday18 as the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has agreed to supply 3,000 metric tons of furnace oil to the CEB.

It has already received 3,000 metric tons of fuel for the Kelanitissa power plant; he said adding that the ministry will hold discussions with the CPC to obtain furnace oil sufficient till Saturday 22.  

He disclosed that  in the wake of the shutdown of a generator at the Norochcholai power plant, the national grid has lost 300 megawatts affecting the uninterrupted power and the problem has become worse due to an unexpected technical fault at the Kelanitissa power station .

Minister Lokuge claimed that, hydropower generation has also been affected due to drop in water level at hydropower reservoirs after allocating the required capacity for irrigation and drinking water and also around 35 percent of the overall capacity of the reservoirs is set apart for power generation.

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) is to deliver urgently required 1,500 MT of diesel to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) daily enabling it to operate its generators and avoid enforcing power cuts.

However the CEB will have to provide US dollars to the CPC if it requires fuel continuously, Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila said.“in the wake of  the prevailing dollar crisis in the country, the CPC had to face severe difficulties to find  $400 million every month, for the supply of fuel stocks required for transportation and other industries,”he added