E04 expressway (Sri Lanka)
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| Colombo–Kandy Expressway | |
| Route information | |
| Maintained by the Road Development Authority | |
| Length: | 99 km (62 mi) |
| Major junctions | |
| South end: | Kadawatha E03 Colombo - Katunayake Expressway |
| North end: | Katugastota |
| Highway system | |
| Expressways of Sri Lanka | |
The Central Expressway, also known as the Colombo–Kandy Expressway is a proposed road project that will link the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, with Kandy. It will essentially duplicate the route of the A1 Road (Colombo-Kandy Road).
The idea was originally proposed by the UNP government under Ranil Wickremesinghe. In 2002, a Malaysian company has had discussions with the then United National Party (UNP) 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 governmen.
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 Meerigama. 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 the 14 December 2014 the President, Mahinda 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 is estimated to be approximately Rs.200 billion and the works are scheduled to be completed by 2018. After the new government came into power in 2015, expressway was once again was named as the Central expressway, canceling the Northern part and expanding the project to Dambulla and Kegglle. Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe launched the construction of the expressway by laying a foundation stone In February 2017 and the 1st phase is to be completed in 30 months.
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Wikipedia