Central Expressway and Dream Destinations and Changing the Way of Delivering Projects

Central Expressway

- BY PRIANKA NALIN SENEVIRATNE Professor of Civil Engineering (Retd.)

Central Expressway

Changing the way of delivering projects requires new planning and designing, and implementation approaches to ensure greater efficiency, safety, comfort, affordability, sustainability, transparency, and protection of the environment and people.

The cost estimates must be verifiable, procurement must comply with applicable laws, and implementation must be in accordance with the terms of the contract.

The Procurement Guidelines (2024) and the Public Financial Management Act 2024 outline these requirements.

The COPE and COPF oversee implementation. They all emphasize cost-effectiveness and value for money (VFM) for taxpayers. Yet, there are more questions about the investments than answers. The way of delivering projects in the transportation sector has not changed.

The revival of suspended and terminated transportation projects and the launch of new ones have been headline news since October 2024.

Bandaranaike International Airport's Terminal 2, Kadawatha-Mirigama section of the Central Expressway, numerous bus terminals, and rail terminals (e.g., Pettah and Maradana), and an ADB-financed rural and national road improvement project are among them. However, details of their procurement, contracting, and implementation processes remain opaque.