- 7-year delay, due since 2018
- Tender process completed, project ready to start
- Potholes from Kottawa to Dodangoda
- Rs. 15.6 b estimated for expressway overlay
After a seven-year delay, the Road Development Authority (RDA) is still awaiting Cabinet approval to begin the first phase of asphalt overlay work on the 14-year-old Southern Expressway (E01), The Sunday Morning learns.
The expressway was completed in 2011, with the asphalt overlay due in 2018, seven years later.
According to the latest audit report on the RDA by the National Audit Office (NAO), it has been identified that this maintenance is especially urgent for the stretch from Pinnaduwa to Kottawa, which runs through areas of soft ground.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, RDA Director General K. W. Kandambi stated that the tender process had been completed, with the project planned to be implemented section by section.
The first phase entails the overlaying of asphalt for the Pinnaduwa to Kottawa section of the expressway.
“As soon as Cabinet approval is granted, the first phase will be given to the selected contractor,” he said.
Kandambi attributed the delay in carrying out the process to the financial hardships and economic crises faced by Sri Lanka, which had pushed set timelines back.
He added: “Even the procurement process, after the approval, will take time, but for now, things are moving forward.”
Kandambi assured that the project would commence soon.
“After 12 years, there has been a need to overlay the outer two lanes of the Southern Expressway from Kottawa to Dodangoda as there are many potholes,” the report reads.
The Southern Expressway spans a total of 200.45 km in length, extending from Kottawa to Mattala. The first section (Kottawa to Pinnaduwa) initially opened to the public in November, 2011 encompasses 95.3 km.
Further, the RDA’s National Road Master Plan (2021-2030) showcases the estimated costs for the Expressway Asphalt Concrete Overlay Project, allocating a total cost of nearly Rs. 15.6 billion for expressways across the country.
The RDA management in its response to the audit has confirmed the need to overlay the outer two lanes of the Southern Expressway from Kottawa to Dodangoda due to the presence of many potholes.
The Southern Expressway (E01), first opened in 2011, has been in use for over a decade on its oldest stretches, while parts of the Outer Circular Expressway (E02) and Colombo-Katunayake Expressway (E03) are approaching or exceeding 10 years in service.
The Magampura Expressway (E06), opened in 2019, will soon reach the typical maintenance threshold for high-speed roads.
The Central Expressway’s (E04) first operational section, launched in 2022, remains the newest, but the rest of the route is still under construction.
Meanwhile, as per available statistics, in 2024, there were seven fatal accidents reported on Sri Lanka’s expressways, compared to four in 2023 and 17 in 2022.
The Southern Expressway, being the oldest and most heavily trafficked, has experienced a significant number of incidents. For instance, a study covering the 2011-2017 period identified 2,275 accidents on this expressway, leading to 14 fatalities, with 10.6% resulting in injuries.