The Central Expressway, is a proposed road project that will link the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, with Kandy. It will provide a fast alternative to the existing A1 Road, which has a lot of bottlenecks and difficult terrain near Kandy. The idea was originally proposed by the UNP government under Ranil Wickremesinghe. In 2002, a Malaysian company had discussions with the then United National Party government over the Kandy-Colombo Expressway. However the project was not able to commence due to the elections and the fall of the UNP government. The expressway was supposed to connect the Western Region Megapolis project with the "Greater Kandy Development Project" both projects were also cancelled after the fall of the government. In November 2013 the Project Minister for Highways announced that construction work on the expressway now known as the Northern Expressway would commence in January 2015. The first phase of the works will link the E03 expressway at Kadawatha through to Kurunegala via Ederamulla and Mirigama. The next stage will see the road extended to Katugastota in Kandy. The Minister advised that the expressway would be built in three stages with financial assistance from China. On 14 December 2014 the PresidentMahinda Rajapaksa, launched the construction of the expressway by laying a foundation stone at the Senkadagala entrance of the expressway. The total cost of the expressway was estimated to be approximately Rs.200 billion and the works were scheduled to be completed by 2018. After the new government came into power in 2015, expressway was re-named back to the 'Central Expressway' from 'Kandy Expressway', Prime MinisterRanil Wickramasinghe again launched the construction of the expressway by laying a foundation stone in February 2017 with the first phase expected to be completed in 2.5 years.. The final environment impact assessment made by May 2016.
Construction
Construction of the Central Expressway will be carried out in four Stages as follows:
Stage 1 - Kadawatha to Meerigama
Stage 2 - Meerigama to Kurunegala and Ambepussa link road
Stage 3 - Pothuhera to Galagedara
Stage 4 - Kurunegala to Dambulla
Stage one
The construction of first stage from Kadawatha to Mirigama will be a four lane divided carriageway for a length of. There are proposed to be interchanges at Kadawatha, Gampaha, Balabowa and Mirigama, with fifty overpasses and thirty underpasses along the route. The initial estimated cost of Phase One was approx. Rs. 70.0bn, with more recent costs estimated at Rs. 130bn.Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe launched the construction of the expressway by laying a foundation stone in August 2015 for this phase.
Stage two
Construction of the second stage of the project from Mirigama to Katugastota, will also be a four-lane divided carriageway for a length of, with thirty overpasses and five underpasses. Interchanges are proposed at Dewalegama, Rambukkana, Hetharaliyadda and Hedeniya. The tentative cost of construction for Phase Two is Rs. 90.0bn. Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe launched the construction of the expressway by laying a foundation stone in February 2017 for this Phase and will be completed in 2021 This Phase will be totally completed by local construction companies for the 1st time in Sri Lanka.
Stage three
Cost for this stage 3 stretch of the expressway has been estimated at Rs.135 billion. Awarding of the contract for Central Expressway Stage III have stirred up questions and controversy. It was revealed that funding for the third phase also from commercial loan with a high interest rates. President Maithripala Sirisena had said the tender procedure was violated when awarding the contract for the expressway. In September 2017, Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe had to make a parliament statement regarding this.
