• 35% of expressway income goes as tax for Govt.
• Annual income from expressways around Rs. 10 b; Rs. 3 b for maintenance

A total of six fatal accidents have been reported so far this year on expressways around Sri Lanka, according to the Expressway Operation Maintenance and Management (EOM&M) Division of the Road Development Authority (RDA).

According to EOM&M statistics, only five fatal accidents were reported in the entirety of 2023. As highlighted by EOM&M Director (AFD) R.A.D. Kahatapitiya, speeding was the root cause of the majority of the fatal accidents reported on expressways.

Accidents on expressways came under the spotlight following the recent death of State Minister Sanath Nishantha on the Katunayake-Colombo Expressway, while a foreigner was also killed on the same expressway in the same week. Several factors were highlighted as reasons for the two fatal accidents, including high speed, extreme low speed, as well as the lack of street lights on the expressway.

This comes against a backdrop where the cash-strapped RDA is struggling to maintain the country’s road system due to a lack of funds, with the authorities having faced financial challenges for several years since the end of Covid-19. Additionally, the income generated from the expressways surpassed the entire operations cost until the recent tariff hike.

Kahatapitiya told The Sunday Morning that 35% of the expressway income went toward taxes to the Government while the RDA managed to cover operational and maintenance costs with the remainder. The annual expressway maintenance cost is nearly Rs. 3 billion and the total income from expressways is reportedly around Rs. 10 billion.

“The previous income wasn’t sufficient to cover the operational and maintenance costs of the expressways, but after the increase in expressway entrance ticket prices, we have been able to manage the costs,” Kahatapitiya said.

Expressway network

An efficient transport system is a prerequisite for the rapid economic development of any country and for improving the quality of life of its people. Although the road network in Sri Lanka is extensive, most of the national and provincial roads were built more than 50 years ago to cater to the traffic volume and vehicle types that existed at that time.

The need for a high mobility network that connects all parts of the country has been identified as essential. An expressway network intending to cover approximately 800 km and connecting almost all economic centres has been proposed to address these issues.

The Expressway Operation Maintenance and Management Division is responsible for the smooth functioning of expressways under the purview of the Ministry of Highways. Basic planning, management, and operation of traffic activities, tolling activities, and maintenance activities, together with budgeting and auditing activities, are conducted by this division.

According to the latest available annual report of the Ministry of Highways (2020), the average daily traffic volume of the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway increased nearly 8% in 2018 compared to 2017. However, in 2019, the trend reversed somewhat, with a 1% drop in traffic volume. Similarly, in 2020, the average daily traffic volume dropped by 40% since the expressway was closed for operation in April due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Further, commuter usage of this expressway decreased in 2020, similar to the latter part of 2019, due to the alteration of commuter routes with the opening of Outer Circular Highway Section III for the general public. 

The highest monthly traffic volume was recorded in January for the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, whereas for other expressway sections this was observed in September. The least monthly traffic volume was recorded in April for all expressways since they were partially or fully closed for commuters due to preventive measures taken against Covid-19. During 2019, the highest monthly traffic volume was recorded in December for all expressways, while the least was observed in May. 

Meanwhile, during 2020, the toll revenue for the Outer Circular Expressway, the Southern Expressway from Kottawa to Mattala, and the Andarawewa-Hambantota Highway section decreased by approximately 6% compared to 2019. In contrast, the percentage increase in toll revenue for the above expressway sections was only 5% in 2019 compared to 2018.

The reasons behind the drop in toll revenue were the issues with commuter usage within those expressways due to the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020. The toll revenue for the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway decreased nearly 50% during 2020 compared to the toll revenue earned in 2019, whereas it decreased by only 5% in 2019 compared to 2018.

In addition, the report stated that several types of activities to enhance the safety of commuters had been carried out annually based on priorities emerging within the national road network and requests made by both Traffic Police and the general public regarding road safety matters. 

The number of activities carried out was restricted due to the limited budgetary allocation received each year from the national Budget, as well as the lack of human resources within the RDA.

Plans underway?

Meanwhile, speaking to The Sunday Morning, RDA Chairman Chaminda Athaluwage said that a special programme would be implemented by the RDA to prevent accidents on the expressways. “A plan is currently being prepared by the RDA to introduce a minimum speed limit for vehicles on expressways,” he said.

However, Kahatapitiya said that new laws would have to be implemented in order to introduce a minimum speed limit.

Roadworthiness of vehicles

Against the backdrop of an increasing number of fatal accidents reported on expressways recently, concerns have arisen regarding the roadworthiness of vehicles. Commuters allege that the prices of spare parts have skyrocketed, leading to issues in vehicle maintenance.

A vehicle owner in Piliyandala said: “Routine checkups of vehicles have become extremely challenging due to high costs. A small repair recently cost me nearly Rs. 700,000. The prices of nuts and bolts have surged and not a single repair can be done below Rs. 50,000.”

Another motorist from Battaramulla said that he was considering selling his vehicle due to the exorbitant maintenance cost. “I can’t afford these maintenance prices. I haven’t serviced my vehicle for the past two years. Several issues have arisen and when I checked with a nearby garage, they provided me with an estimate of over Rs. 1.5 million. I don’t think I can afford that,” he lamented.

The importation of vehicles continues to receive a lukewarm response from the Government, presumably due to concerns that an expanded trade imbalance could impact the currency exchange rate through its effect on foreign exchange supply and demand, according to analysts.

Sri Lanka imposed a ban on the import of most automobiles, including three-wheelers and motorcycles, which contribute significantly to State revenue. This measure was implemented as money printing escalated from February 2021, creating foreign exchange shortages.

However, a Colombo-based equities brokerage firm reported that 2,384 SUVs were registered in 2021 and an additional 176 were registered in January 2022, indicating some activity in vehicle registration despite import restrictions.