Four major Kandy development projects to be completed within two years

The Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development has announced urgent plans to complete construction on four major development projects in Kandy city within the next two years under the Central Province Development Program. The projects being expedited are the Getambe Junction flyover, Mahaiyawa underground tunnel, William Gopallawa Road expansion, and Louis Peiris Mawatha upgrade, all part of a strategic development plan aimed at easing traffic congestion and improving urban infrastructure. A field inspection of the projects was carried out yesterday with the participation of the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation K.D. Lal Kantha and Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Dr. Prasanna Gunasena. Work on the Getambe Junction flyover, which had been halted due to political, administrative and financial issues, was restarted in February 2025. The Rs. 14 billion project is designed to ease congestion on the Gannoruwa–Kandy and Peradeniya–Kandy roads. The William Gopallawa Road is being expanded into four lanes as a solution to daily traffic in Kandy city, with Rs. 675 million allocated. Louis Peiris Mawatha, connecting Kandy–Buwelikada–Ampitiya, is being upgraded with dual lanes and pedestrian paths on both sides, supported by Rs. 539 million in funding. Given its route through landslide‑prone terrain, the project is being developed using the “soil nailing” safety technique to stabilize hill sections. The Mahaiyawa tunnel road, providing access to the Kandy–Jaffna (A‑009) main road and the upcountry railway line, is also under construction. The tunnel will be 31.7 meters long, 21.8 meters wide and 9 meters high, with a project cost of Rs. 650 million. The Ministry emphasized that all four projects are being fast‑tracked to deliver tangible benefits to commuters and residents of Kandy within the stipulated timeframe. (Newswire)