The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake - Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development

¶ 01 Mr. Speaker, the answers are as follows:

¶ 02 (a) (i) Total staff strength: 8,332 (Permanent 8,079; Contract 253). (ii) Roads under the Central Government (RDA-managed): - A- and B-class roads (km): 4,217.42 - C-class and below (km): 8,045.42 - Total (km): 12,262.84 Information on roads under Provincial Councils is not available with the RDA. (iii) Total expenditure on Central Government roads at year-end: - 2021: Rs. 4,606.02 million - 2022: Rs. 2,504.01 million - 2023: Rs. 6,039.22 million - 2024: Rs. 11,249.81 million - 2025: Rs. 14,591.16 million Information on Provincial Council roads is not available with the RDA. (iv) For A- and B-class roads: - New construction of a two-lane road (per km): approximately Rs. 300–450 million, varying by included items; rehabilitation projects: Rs. 200–250 million per km. - New construction of a four-lane road (per km): approximately Rs. 800–1,000 million, varying by included items; rehabilitation projects: Rs. 200–250 million per km. (v) Based on recent tenders, costs have varied from –25% to +25% depending on ground conditions and scope items.

¶ 03 (b) (i) Expressways in operation and lengths: - E01 Southern Expressway (Kottawa–Mattala): 200.45 km - E02 Outer Circular Expressway (Kottawa–Kerawalapitiya): 28.86 km - E03 Colombo–Katunayake Expressway (Peliyagoda–Seeduwa): 25.80 km - E04 Central Expressway (Mirigama–Kurunegala/Yaggapitiya): 40.91 km - E05 Southern Expressway Extension (Andarawewa–Hambantota): 16.55 km Total length: 312.57 km (ii) Annual maintenance cost: Rs. 5,180.90 million - E01: Rs. 2,024.50 million - E02: Rs. 767.60 million - E03: Rs. 834.10 million - E04: Rs. 532.00 million - E05: Rs. 1,022.70 million (iii) Revenue as at 31.12.2025 (Rs. million): - Southern Expressway: 5,031.28 - Outer Circular Expressway: 4,347.32 - Colombo–Katunayake Expressway: 3,355.12 - Southern Expressway Extension: 2,019.45 - Central Expressway: 1,576.97 Total: 16,330.14 (iv) Regarding return on investment: computing ROI for expressways is methodologically complex and varies with included items and wider socio-economic and environmental benefits (logistics, economy, environment). The RDA has not conducted such a comprehensive ROI calculation. If required, we can provide data on expenditure and toll revenues, but ROI in the strict sense is not presently available. (v) Future plans: - Central Expressway Phase 01 (Kadawatha–Mirigama) and Phase 03 (Potuhera–Rambukkana): construction is ongoing; for Kadawatha–Mirigama, works are being progressed; the Rambukkana–Galagedara section is expected to commence by end of this month or early next month. - Central Expressway Phase 04 (Kurunegala–Dambulla): to commence end of this year or early next year. - Ruwanpura Expressway (Kahatuduwa–Ingiriya): to commence end of this year or in the first quarter of next year.

¶ 04 (c) Not applicable.