May 01, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has signed up additional funds to augment a highway to the south of the island which is jointly financed by the Asian Development Bank and the Japan, the finance ministry said. The 90 million dollar supplementary loan will finance a 29.3 kilometre stretch on the Southern Highway starting from Kurundugahahetekma to Pinndaduwa, and a 6 kilometre access road to the southern town of Galle.
The stretch will be expanded to four-lane standard
"The project will promote the economic growth of the Southern region by improving access to the more developed Western province, especially with Colombo," the finance ministry said in a statement.
"By expanding the southern highway to four-lane standard, the accident rate will be significantly reduced."
The highway is due to be completed by December 2009. .
