Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda

Former Navy Commander Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda says that the Southern Expressway can be ready by April 2011. The architect of Sri Lanka’s successful naval strategy which destroyed the LTTE’s shipping network and paved the way for the navy to expand the scope of its operations, both here and overseas, believes that the 126 km long highway will be a tremendous boost to the economy of the entire country. In an interview with The Island, Secretary to the Highways and Road Development Ministry, Karannagoda responded to criticism of severe shortcomings in the project, in relation to the construction of bridges.

The following are excerpts of an interview with Karannagoda:

Question

The Southern Expressway Project has been the focus of the public and media in the recent past. What are the problems encountered with the Project?

Answer

There are two reasons. One is due to certain accidents that occurred near Poddala and the other is due to the delay in completing the project.

In a complex civil engineering project of this magnitude, accidents, isolated error’s are unavoidable. Such accidents and errors are common even in developed countries. The recent collapse of the metal arch bridge along the highway near Poddala occurred due to a repair carried out without following the consultant’s instructions with regard to how to conduct the repair, and not anticipating the structural behaviour of this type of metal arch. The collapse occurred not due to the problems in the foundation or construction. This is only an isolated incident of a single failure out of 180 bridges and 500 structures along the Southern Expressway. But that does not mean we condone this type of accidents. At the Ministry level and RDA, we are doing everything possible to prevent accidents, and safety levels are maintained at highest levels.

As for the delay, it is due to many reasons. I will indicate the major reasons. The change of decision to make two lanes to four lanes for the entire expressway, which is a very wise and a timely decision. Non availability of sufficient funding on time. Land acquisitions and court cases related to land acquisitions, some of which have lasted more than eight months and work had to be stopped in certain sections as a result. Further, income restoration and resettlement of the people affected, also have contributed to the delays.

I will give you a little back ground of the whole project for you to understand its complexity.

The Southern Transport Development Project is aimed at constructing the first access controlled toll expressway in Sri Lanka, connecting Kottawa in Colombo, to Godagama in Matara to a total length of 126 km, with an access road from Pinnaduwa interchange to A2 Galle Matara Road (5.2 km).

The access to the expressway is only through 11 interchanges which are located at places where expressway crosses major roads/ highways as follows: Makumbura, Kahatuduwa, Gelanigama, Dodangoda Lewanduwa, Kurundugahahetekma

Nayapamula, Pinnaduwa,Deegoda,

Kokmaduwa and Godagama

The expressway consists of the following Underpasses/Overpasses and Bridges:

Underpasses/Overpasses

* Vehicular Underpasses - 153 Nos

* Vehicular Overpasses - 27 Nos

Major Bridges

Panape - Ela Bridge Bentota Bridge

Kaluganga Bridge

Gingaga Bridge Welipanna Bridge

Kapu Ela Bridge

Parei Ganga Bridge Pollathu Ganga Bridge

The original designs of the Southern Expressway provided a 4 -lane Expressway from Kottawa to Dodangoda (34 km.) only, and the rest of the 92 km. from Dodangoda to Godagama in Matara was to have only a two-lane road in the 1st phase of construction. In 2007, The President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, with his Cabinet of Ministers, took a policy decision to enhance the scope of the project to construct a four-lane access controlled ‘Toll Expressway’ all the way from Kottawa to Godagama (in Matara). Accordingly, contracts were restructured in 2008, to have a proper 4-lane Expressway from Kottawa to Godagama. Due to restructuring of the Expressway, original allocation of funds were adequate only to construct the expressway from Kottawa to Pinnaduwa (62km) leaving out the road section from Pinnaduwa to Godagama (30km). Therefore, the Government had to look for alternative funding options to finance the balance 30 km of the Expressway. M/s China National Technical Import and Export Corporation has now come forward to construct the road section from Pinnaduwa to Godagama (30km) with the financial assistance from the Exim Bank of China. The contract agreement is scheduled to be signed within next two weeks. The first two sections, namely from Kottawa to Dodangoda (34 km) and from Dodangoda to Kurundugahahetekma (32km), are being constructed under funding assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency ( JICA) and will be completed in the early part of 2011. The third section, from Kurundugahahetekma to Pinnaduwa (30km), is being constructed under funding assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and will be completed by mid-2010. The construction of the last section will commence by mid-November this year and we are making every attempt to complete this section also by April 2011 and commission the entire Southern Expressway in April 2011.

Question

What is the envisaged time frame for completing this project?

Answer

We are making all efforts to commission the Southern Expressway by April 2011.

Question

Who designed the Highway Project

Answer

The total length of the Southern Expressway is 126 km. At the commencement of this Project, it was packaged into (3) three sections, as I explained earlier.

(a) Section from Kottawa to Dodangoda (34 km.)

(b) Section from Dodangoda to Kurundugahahetekma (32 km.)

And

(c) Section from Kurundugahahetekma to Godagama (Matara) - (60 km.)

(a) and (b) road sections are funded by the Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) and the road section from Kurundugahahetekma to Pinnaduwa is funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The Original designs of the Kottawa to Kurundugahahetekma road section was carried out by Pacific Consultants International Japan. The Wilbur Smith Company of USA carried out the designs of the 60 km. road section from Kurundugahahetekma to Godagama (Matara).

Question

Were the bridges designed by the Engineers who designed the Highway?

Answer

The construction of structures in the Southern Expressway contracts were to be on design and built basis. Therefore, bridges were designed by the respective contractors of the Expressway as follows:

Kottawa-Dodangoda Section (34 km.) - China Harbour Engineering Corporation, China

Dodangoda to Kurundugahahetekma Section (32 km.) - Taisai Corporation, Japan Kurundugahahetekma - Matara Section - Kumagai Gumi, Japan

Question

How is quality assessed?

Answer

The quality assurance standards were set in accordance with internationally proven practices of AASHTO (All American State Highway and Transport Officials). Necessary testing are carried out by a team of competent professionals of the Supervision Consultant and the contractor. Quality Assurance Certificates by the Supervision Consultants are mandatory requirement for recommendation of payments for any items of work in this Project.

Question

Who is the Supervising Authority to ensure quality standards are sustained?

Answer

The Supervision Consultants, namely Pacific Consultants International Japan, in Kottawa- Kurundugahahetekma section and Halcrow/Roughton International UK in Kurundugahahetekma -Pinnaduwa section are responsible to ensure that proper standards and required quality is maintained.

The errors/mistakes found in the design and constructions are being addressed as quickly as possible with a view to produce a better final product. As employer, the Highways Ministry, monitors the performances of both consultants and contractors to ensure output of the investment is made and expedite the ongoing work.

Question

Is the Government satisfied with overall progress?

Answer

Considering the totality of the construction involved, the Ministry is satisfied with the progress. However, deficiencies exist and the percentage of such deficiencies is very small compared to the magnitude of the Project.

Question

When will the Pinnaduwa - Matara road section commence? Is funding in place?

Answer

As explained in question (2), the original scope of the Project has been changed to take in a four (4) lane access controlled ‘Toll Expressway’. This decision was supported by both Donor Agencies - Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) and Asian Development Bank (ADB), and supplementary allocations were provided to meet the additional costs. This additional funding became adequate only to construct the four lane Expressway from Kottawa to Pinnaduwa (96 km.) leaving the section from Pinnaduwa to Matara. The alternative funding arrangements were explored to complete this section and Exim Bank of China has come forward to financially assist the Government to construct this road section from Pinnaduwa to Godagama (Matara) and the works will be resumed by mid-November 2009.

Question

Are metal arch structure bridges acceptable.? 

Answer

The metal arch structures are commonly used in other countries, but new to Sri Lanka. Construction and maintenance of metal arch structures need close supervision. The contractor has proposed some remedial measures to improve corrosion resistance of metal structures.

In the interim, the University of Moratuwa has been commissioned to investigate all the metal structures and to propose their solutions independently. The future course of action about the metal arches will be decided on the recommendation by the University.

It is not strictly correct to say that metal structures are not compatible with the country. We have had steel bridges which have stood more than 100 years and still the steel bridges are being built in the country.

Question

Do you propose to replace any of the metal bridges on the highway?

Answer

Few metal arch structures used for drainage purpose will be replaced. Metal structures were used at the time of detailed design of this section of the Southern Expressway few years ago to optimize the cost of structures and thereby to minimize the cost of the Project. The removal was suggested by the independent Committee appointed after the collapse of a metal underpass and is not because of the quality but due to other structural reasons.

Question

If metal bridges need replacing, who will bear the cost?

Answer

The construction of structures in the Southern Expressway contracts are to be on a design and - built basis. Thus, the full payment for the structures would only be made after the acceptance of the structures at the end of the Project. Therefore, cost of removal and reconstruction due to any design or construction defect shall be borne by the contractor.

Question

Do we need Expressways for our country? What is the impact on the economy by introducing expressways to the existing road network?

Answer

Any country to develop, to attract investors, infrastructure development is essential. A good road network is one of the most salient factors in infrastructure.

The expressway will increase travel speed and reduce the vehicle operating cost and time spent on the road. This would help producers to lower the unit cost and be competitive in local and international markets. The new Southern Expressway would bring down the travel time from Colombo to Matara from 3 1/2 Hrs to 1 1/4 Hrs.

The Southern expressway traverses through Western and Southern Provinces improving regional connectivity and improved access to South Eastern region and the new Port and Airport in Hambantota creating series of economic activities and generating a large number of employment opportunities for the people living there. It will be a big boost for the tourism sector also.