Northern roads to be developed

Over 330 km inclusive of A9 highway:

A major road rehabilitation and development project is to be undertaken by the Government with Chinese financial assistance in the Northern Province. Accordingly, 332 km length of roads inclusive of Kandy-Jaffna A9 highway will be developed and modernized on a proposal by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

This road development project covering the most part of Northern Province will help to revive the economic activities of the Northern communities who have economically suffered for a long-term because of the terrorism. It is also estimated that the economic benefits of these projects to the country as a whole will be far in excess of the financial cost of the project.

Accordingly, 153 km length of Kandy-Jaffna A9 highway from Galkulama to Jaffna will be rehabilitated and modernized as part of the main gateway to the Northern Province. The other roadways that will be developed under this projects are 84 km length of Jaffna-Point Pedro AB20 road, Puttur-Meesalai AB32 road and Jaffna-Pallai AB18 roadways. Rehabilitation and improvement of 95km length of the B334, B297 and B296 roads will also take place covering the areas of Mullaitivu-Kokilai-Pulmudai roadway, Oddusudan Nedunkerney roadway and the Mullaitivu-Puliyankulam roadways as separate projects.

The total cost of the project will be US 355 million of which 85 percent will be financed by the Government of China while the local component of 15 percent will be borne by the Government of Sri Lanka.