The Road Development Authority (RDA) is to construct a highway on pillars to make it easier for vehicles along the Southern Expressway to enter Colombo from Kottawa to Kimbulawala in Thalawathugoda.

RDA Chairman R.W.R.Pemasiri told AdaderanaBiz.lk that this highway would end near the Parliamentary complex.

He added that apart from this two more overhead roads would be constructed from near the Kelanatissa power plant to Colombo Fort and from near the HSBC bank at Rajagiriya to near Wesley College in Borella.

“The overhead road from Kelanitissa power plant to Colombo Fort is six kilometres. This is estimated to cost around USD 300 million. We expect to begin construction work early next year,” Pemasiri said while adding that preparations have been made to obtain loans from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and several other lending institutions.

This overhead road would be from near the Kelenitissa power plant to Colombo Fort and once completed vehicles would be able to enter Colombo city without using the Baseline Road.

The distance of the overhead road from near HSBC bank, Rajagiriya to near Wesley College in Borella is four kilometres and work on this too is to begin next year.

“We are negotiating loans to construct this road as well. This road has been proposed as a solution to ease the severe traffic congestion in the Borella area,” said RDA Chairman Pemasiri.