More than 400 locations in the country’s road network have been damaged due to the Ditwah disaster, and restoring these damaged infrastructure facilities while ensuring safe transportation for the public remains a key responsibility of the Government, Minister of Transport Bimal Rathnayake stated.
The Minister made these remarks while attending the official launch of the first phase of a special project to reconstruct 14 bridges damaged by the Ditwah disaster, with full grant assistance from the Government of China. The first phase of the project was officially launched today (01) near the Bemulla Bridge in Gampaha.
The project will be implemented in two phases. Under the first phase, nine bridges will be reconstructed, while a further five bridges will be reconstructed under the second phase, the Ministry of Transport stated.
The Government of China has provided a full grant of Rs. 3,933 million (Chinese Yuan 79 million) for the first phase of the project. The main construction work is scheduled to be completed within 18 months.
The agreement for the implementation of the project was also signed today, with the Ambassador of China to Sri Lanka, H.E. Wei Huaxiang, signing on behalf of the Chinese Government.
The Government also expressed its gratitude to the Government and people of China, as well as all friendly countries that extended their support to Sri Lanka from the outset of the disaster.
