Wheels move for NCP road development
by Nimal Wijesinghe
Two massive road development projects have been launched in the North Central Province under which 400 kilometres of dilapidated rural roads in both Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts would be renovated and rehabilitated. The Asian Development Bank has offered Rs. 3,500 million to upgrade nearly 300 kilometres of road in the province.
The project has been scheduled to be completed in three years. North Central Provincial Road Development Authority General Manager Engineer Senarath Pushpakumara told the Daily News that the ADB funded program will be inaugurated in mid January.
“In addition Rs. 200 million has been granted to the North Central Provincial Council to renovate and modernise nearly 150 kilometres of dilapidated roads in the North Central Province.
The special feature is that 100 farmer organizations in the province have been offered road construction contracts each valued at Rs. 2 million for preserving transparency and minimize the waste of funds.
“This is a novel exercise for the village farmers’ community and the contracts will strengthen the financial base of the farmer organizations,” Pushpakumara said.
The roads to be renovated have been selected on the instructions of North Central Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake and Provincial Road Development Minister Punchi Banda Ratnayake.
(Source: Daily News – 4th January, 2010)