The Hon. (Dr.) Prasanna Gunasena - Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways

¶ 01 Thank you, Hon. Presiding Member. Responding first on airport-issued tourist driving licences: by end-September, Sri Lanka received 1,725,494 tourists this year, up 30.3% year-on-year, averaging about 6,000 a day (peaking around 8,000). Tourism revenue rose to US$ 2.30 billion in the first nine months (vs. US$ 1.888 billion last year). Average spend is about US$ 172 per day with an average stay of 8.5 days. Airport-issued licences averaged at most about 100 per day; in 2024, if not issued at the airport, 2,954 obtained licences via the normal process. The narrative that this measure ruined tourism and locals is exaggerated; we engaged with tour driver associations and clarified with data.

¶ 02 On Port Access Elevated Highway: Variation Order 60 required ADB concurrence, which took nearly a year; received in August. Ramps 3 and 4 are targeted for completion within about eight months.

¶ 03 On specific roads: the Welikada–Kohilawatta corridor’s Buttalagamuwa bridge is at design stage. Akuregoda–Pothu Arawa is being developed with a two-lane standard; land acquisition has begun. Pamankada–Pepiliyana is being developed as a four-lane road; land acquisition is at the final stage. For 300 urban bottlenecks in Colombo, a special committee has been appointed by the Mayor; additionally, we plan to widen 10 junctions and bends on Baseline Road under the 2026 Budget to reduce congestion.

¶ 04 Regarding the Peradeniya–Galah–Deltota road: total length 53.8 km; 22 km up to Galaha town recently improved; km 25–28 completed; this year km 22–25 and km 28–35 will be carpeted; the remaining length is programmed for 2026–2027. Aladeniya–Iriyagama will be upgraded to two lanes.

¶ 05 On the Supplementary Estimate: we inherited stalled loans after 2022; many foreign lenders halted disbursements. We budget local counterpart funds at the start of the year in expectation of external components; when foreign financing does not materialize, local shares remain unspent. Of the Rs. 36 billion being reallocated, Rs. 33 billion are such unutilized foreign-funded components’ local shares. This is no one’s fault; it is crisis management.

¶ 06 Allocations under the Road Development Authority broadly cover: expressways, national road development, widening and improvement, construction of bridges and flyovers, and operational activities. For widening and improvement, Rs. 12 billion was set aside this year to develop 397 km (83 projects) of A and B roads; a significant portion has commenced, with many to be completed by year-end. By province: Western 75 km, Central 80 km, Southern 59 km, Northern 42 km, North Central 16 km, Sabaragamuwa 70 km, Uva 21 km. On bridges: 78 bridges will be completed this year—31 already underway; 47 remain under ICDP. On rural roads, under three flagship projects—“Maga Punurudaya” (Path to Revival), the 1080 Project, and ICDP—we will complete 2,000 rural roads within two years.

¶ 07 On SOEs, some claimed integrated work is lacking; however, several previously loss-making entities have turned profitable: Lanka Mineral Sands moved from a Rs. 77 million loss (first half last year) to Rs. 480 million profit; Milco from Rs. 43 million loss to Rs. 627 million profit; National Paper from Rs. 65 million loss to Rs. 7.76 million profit; Kalubowitiyana Tea from Rs. 10 million loss to Rs. 39 million profit; Gall Oya Plantations from Rs. 839 million loss to Rs. 968 million profit. We will provide our Members with lists of completed works to present to their local electorates.

¶ 08 I thank all officials and the Minister’s team involved in preparing this Supplementary Estimate. Thank you.

¶ 09 Question put, and agreed to.