Batticaloa gets Rs 700 m bridge across Valaichchenai lagoon
Irangika Range
Work on the new Oddamavadi Bridge across the Valaichchenai lagoon is nearing completion and will be opened to the public this year. A Highways and Road Development Ministry spokesman said public transport in the Batticaloa district would be hassle free because of this bridge being constructed at a cost of Rs 700 million. The World Bank and the Spanish Government have funded the project.
He said it was a pledge given in the Mahinda Chintana to build this new bridge in place of the old Oddamavadi bridge which will directly benefit the public entering Valaichchenai town.
He said work was accelerated on President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s directives who submitted the Cabinet Paper as Highways and Road Development Minister in 2007.
Work on the new bridge commenced on November 17, 2007 to replace the old bridge which was constructed by the British 86 years ago.
The project will improve the market approachability and facilitating transportation at a low cost to civilians. It is expected to boost the economic activities in the Eastern Province with the constructions of this bridge. The length of the bridge is 250 metres while the width is 7.63 metres.
Construction work is being supervised by the Road Development Authority and the Highways and Road Development Ministry, he said. Meanwhile, work on the stretch of 63 kilometres on the Manampitiya- Trikodiadumadu road via Welikanda costing Rs 1,405 million funded by the World Bank is nearing completion.
(Source: Daily News – 15th February, 2010)