Annual Report 2008 - Ministry of Finance and Planning

2. Fiscal Developments - 2008
102
Box 2.6
Randora: Road Development Endeavor Contd.
The three bridges at Arugambay, Bentota and Tangalle and
the flyover at Kelaniya were constructed and opened to
public in 2008 and also the flyover at Nugegoda was opened
in January 2009.
In addition, 1,024 km of provincial roads and 130 km of local
roads have been rehabilitated with the assistance of the
Asian Development Bank and Government of Japan. In 2008,
around Rs. 2,900 million of Provincial Specific Development
Grant was used for local and provincial roads development.
During the period of 2004 – 2008, the Government
investment on expressway development has increased from
Rs. 1,600 million to Rs. 15,700 million. The construction of
a four-lane Southern Expressway was continued and 52
percent of the total cost has been utilized by the end 2008.
A further some of Rs. 4,568 million has been spent for land
acquisition and resettlement under this project. Moreover,
land acquisition and resettlement work of the Colombo –
Katunayake Expressway and the Outer Circular Highways
are in progress and the construction work of these two
projects is to be commenced in 2009.
The Road Maintenance Trust Fund, the focal mechanism for
the road maintenance, was established in 2006. Rs. 3,100
million has been spent for maintenance of national roads in
the year 2008, excluding labour wages.
Investment on widening and improvement of roads has
increased from Rs. 1,000 million to Rs. 6,000 million from 2004
to 2008 respectively. Under this programme, improvement
on 68 km of national roads and 26 bridges were completed in
nine provinces. Further, widening and improving of 547 km
of roadway and 10 bridges are in progress.
With the community participation under the Maga Neguma
and Gama Neguma Programmes, the accessibility and
durability of rural roads have been upgraded island wide
at a cost of around Rs. 12,550 million in 2008. Since 2005,
around 1,956 km of rural roads have been concreted under
Maga Neguma.
“Maga Neguma” Rural Road Development
2005 2006 2007 2008
Total km completed 731 2,284 1,202 1,640
Of which concreted 21 277 777 881
Total Cost (Rs.Mn) 433 1,800 2,734 3,830
Of which cost of 62 832 2,408 2,863
concreted
Source: Department of National Budget
Foreign aid component of the total investment in 2004 was
Rs. 7,800 million and it has grown to Rs. 35,120 million in
2008 which accounted for 43 percent of the total investment.
Ministry of Finance and Planning Sri Lanka
Annual Report 2008