According to Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardena, construction of the Kohuwala and Gatambe flyovers has been halted, and other foreign-aid projects have also been halted until Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring process is completed.
The minister revealed this while responding to a question from MP Milan Jayathilaka, who was expecting oral answers in Parliament.
The construction of the Kohuwala and Gatambe flyovers began following the signing of a financial cooperation agreement between Sri Lanka and Hungary to provide concessional financial facilities through Hungary’s Exim Bank for the implementation of infrastructure development projects in the country.
Mr. Bandula Gunawardena, Minister of Transport, who responded,
We have not cleared a large number of bills as a direct consequence of this. The settlement work is currently underway. All payments totaling less than 50 lakhs have been made.
The motorway projects that have already begun must be completed in accordance with the previous agreements. For this purpose, agreements have been reached with the government and relevant investors. These schemes can only be implemented after the debt restructuring process has been completed as soon as possible .
Other foreign aid has funded the construction of a flypast at the Kohuwala junction, for example. Following that is a flyover in Gatambe. This has begun as part of another type of foreign aid. All posts are located directly in front of the motorway. All other agreements came to a halt after we declared that we are a bankrupt country unable to pay our debts.
As a result, if this debt is not restructured and the crisis is not resolved, no matter who owns the government or who holds the position of minister, none of this can be done. That is a national issue. We are actively working to resolve that issue.
