Johnston Fernando, Minister of Highways today (21) laid the foundation stones for the proposed new bridge across the Benthara River connecting Itthapana and Horawala and the two new bridges proposed to be constructed across the Maadu River in the Balapitiya area.
The Ministry of Highways states that these three bridges will be constructed under the island wide rural bridge construction program aimed at developing the infrastructure facilities of the rural people under President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s Vision for Country Building Prosperity policy.
The length of the first of the two new bridges proposed to be constructed across the Maadu river in the Balapitiya area is 330.5 meters. The width is 4.8 m. The length of the second bridge is 49.55 meters. The width is 4.8 m. The Ministry of Highways states that the cost of these two bridges is Rs. 975.9 million.
The length of the proposed new bridge across the Benthara River connecting Itthapana and Horawala is 133.2 meters. The width is 10.4. The construction of this bridge will cost Rs. 590.7 million.
The construction work for these bridges is being carried out by the State Development and Construction Corporation (SD&CC) under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Highways and the Road Development Authority.
The Ministry of Highways states that the construction of the bridge is scheduled to be completed within 24 months.