New interim government will be reviewing the Central expressway project saddled with irregularities and malpractices, Road Development Authority (RDA) officials said.
At present the expressway is faced with further undue delay in the construction work of 33km stretch of road from Pothuhera to Galagedara in phase three of the project.
More than four years after the Central Expressway Project was launched, only the 38 km stretch of road in the middle of the expressway was completed, they added.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa who visited Kandy recently assured that he will expedite the construction work after reviewing the whole project.
RDA is stuck with the Central Expressway phase 3 as there was a funding issue and discussions are going on with the Attorney General’s Department to avoid the unfavourable conditions in the Japanese law, officials said. .
The Government has secured a loan equivalent of US$1 billion from the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd (BTMU). But during discussions with the Japanese team the Sri Lankan sought to obtain more favourable terms from BTMU.
Malpractices and irregularities in the project have been revealed by the Auditor General in a special investigation audit report recently.
The procedure for selecting a consultant and a contractor for the phase I, II and III of the expressway had been contrary to Section 1.1 of the Public Procurement Guidelines, the report revealed.
(LI)