The French Government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will grant Rs. 11,509 million for the entire road development project and development of infrastructure facilities required by the inhabitants of the two provinces, the Highway Ministry said.

Highway Ministry Media Secretary Shirantha Premawardena told The Island Financial Review that under the Trincomalee Co-ordinated Infrastructure Facilities Expansion Programme the Trincomalee – Batticoloa A-15 road which was 99 km long would be widened from Thekondiamadu to Trincomalee by 8.2 meters. The road would also be modernised with the construction of five bridges called Kayankareni, Werugal, Ralkulee, Gangai and Apparu. Rs.7,271 million would be spent to complete the five bridges.

He said that the road B-10 which extended from Allai to Kanthale would be widened by 6.2 meters with required reformation and Rs. 1,363 million had been allocated to complete the project. The road which connected Habarana to Kanthale would be widened and reconstructed and the ADB would fund Rs. 2,407 million. Rs. 468 would be spent to widen the 32 km long Mawadichanai – Ganeahpuram road.

Premawardena added that under President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s concept the rural road development scheme would be expedited to cater to the needs of people living in the Eastern and North-Central Provinces. The construction of roads and provision of infrastructure facilities in liberated areas would be prioritised, laying a special emphasis on tsunami-devastated coastal line roads and bridges.

The Acting Minister of Highways and Highway Development T.B.Ekanayaka said that the Road Development Projects in the Eastern and North-Central Provinces had been a commitment of the present Government because people living in these provinces had suffered untold hardships for lasr two decades.