A new flyover aimed at easing traffic congestion in central Colombo was opened to the public today (19) at a total cost of Rs. 3.2 billion.
The Baladaksha Mawatha Flyover was declared open under the patronage of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister Bimal Rathnayake. The flyover is the third constructed under a broader project designed to reduce traffic congestion in and around the Colombo city limits.
The structure allows one-way traffic from Galle Face toward Kompannavidiya via Chittampalam A. Gardiner Mawatha. It is approximately 340 meters long and 11 meters wide.
The project was carried out under the Sustainable Road Development Programme of the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, with funding provided by the Sri Lankan government and implementation overseen by the Road Development Authority.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, MP Bimal Rathnayake said the area is one of Colombo’s busiest commercial zones, with major government offices and hotels located nearby, resulting in frequent traffic congestion. Plans to construct three flyovers in the area were made several years ago, he said, and two of them had already been completed.
“Construction of the Baladaksha Mawatha Flyover was originally scheduled to be completed in 2022, but the project was delayed due to the country’s economic crisis and other issues”, the minister said. He added that delays led to additional costs of about Rs. 1 billion, increasing the total project cost from an initial estimate of Rs. 2.7 billion.
Minister added that the issues related to police residential quarters in the area were resolved following field inspections conducted with senior police officials, allowing construction work to be accelerated and that the completion of the flyover would bring significant benefits to the public by reducing travel time and easing congestion.
He also thanked the Police Department and the Road Development Authority for their cooperation in completing the project. (NewsWire)