The Hon. Shantha Pathma Kumara Subasingha

¶ 01 [11.39 a.m.]

¶ 02 Hon. Hesha Withanage’s Motion is important. We have not stopped Ruwanpura Expressway works. The 2025 Budget allocates Rs. 2,500 million for planning and land acquisition. The President has pledged to commence Phase I from Kahatuduwa to Ingiriya next year, and then proceed in stages. As the first section is widened to expressway standards, heavy traffic may increase; therefore, Ingiriya–Ratnapura existing road will be widened to four lanes.

¶ 03 Further, we allocated Rs. 250 million in the 2025 Budget to restart the long-abandoned Kelani Valley Railway to Ratnapura; surveying is complete and works will commence soon.

¶ 04 We also plan to develop High Level Road (A122) to Ratnapura with four lanes. This year Rs. 7,200 million is allocated for national and rural roads in Ratnapura District, and an additional 50 km of carpeting has been proposed. In your own electorate, Ambilipitiya–Sudupaalama and Suriya Kanda–Areporuwa roads are being upgraded, with Rs. 5,000 million estimated and Rs. 1,000 million already allocated.

¶ 05 Central Expressway works have restarted: Mirigama–Kadawatha (37 km) since 17 September; to be completed before end-2028; Pothuhera–Rambukkana to complete by mid-2027; Rambukkana–Galagedara by mid-2029; Dambulla–Kurunegala to commence. Maintenance on the Southern Expressway Kotikawatta–Dodangoda section is underway after 14 years of operation.

¶ 06 We will ensure islandwide balanced development without bowing to anyone.