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New Kelani Bridge to be declared open today by President and PM
Chief Government whip and Highways Minister Johnston Fernando yesterday said that the New Kelani Bridge, constructed with advanced technology culminating in several milestones in transport technology, in Sri Lanka, would be declared open by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at 6 pm today.
The bridge itself consists of two sections – the extradosed bridge section over the river, and the steel box girder viaduct section over the existing roadway. Both technologies are used for the first time in Sri Lanka. The extradosed design enabled the bridge to have the widest span without piers in any bridge in Sri Lanka. As no piers needed to be constructed on the river bed, there is no impact to the water flow or ecology of the river itself. The steel box girder technology enabled the viaduct section to be constructed with narrower curves to optimize space, and quicker construction to optimize resources with minimum disruption to traffic.
The six-lane bridge extends southwards from Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, and divides towards Port Access Road ending at Ingurukade Intersection and Baseline Road ending at Orugodawatte Intersection.
Following the understanding the need of a new bridge that could cater to the increased volume of traffic with the opening of Colombo-Katunayake expressway, the bridge was designed in 2012 and its feasibility study was conducted in 2013 and agreements were signed in 2014 when Mahinda Rajapaksa was the President and the Minister of Highways.
The bridge has six lanes from the end of the Colombo – Katunayake Expressway to the Bandaranaike Roundabout and will be four lanes from there on to the Orugodawatta, Ingurukade Junction and the Port entrance.
The length of the bridge section across the Kelani River is 380 meters. The bridge is being constructed in two stages. The first package, the steel output bridge section, is at a cost of Rs. 31,593 million, while the second stage, the concrete suspension bridge section, is at a cost of Rs. 9,896 million.
Minister Fernando said that his ministry officials had planted trees that could absorb particulate matter, black carbon and dust, while tolerating heat, along the new bridge and connecting roads including the Kelanitissa circular road and the road to the bridge from the Orugodawatte junction which is considered a highly populated urban area. Officials of the Department of National Botanical Gardens have recommended that trees that could work as “lungs” of an ecosystem because they absorb carbon dioxide and emit oxygen should be selected for the purpose. Accordingly they have selected trees such as Koboneela (Bauhinia purpurea), the Golden shower or Ehala (Cassia fistula), May Mara (Delonix regia), Robarosiya (Tabebuia Rosea), Kaha Mara (Poinciana regia) Rat Mal (Rhododendron arboretum), Mee (Madhuca longifolia), Kumbuk (Terminalia arjuna), Na tree (Mesua ferrea) the Ceylon ironwood, Araliya (Plumeria) Magul Karanda (Pongamia pinnata), Nuga (Ficus benghalensis) and Murutha (the queen of flower tree -Lagerstroemia speciosa).
An underground pipe system has been laid down to provide water to the trees continuously.
Minister Fernando said that the new bridge would be a main attraction that would amplify the beauty of the commercial capital of the country and also the exquisiteness of the Kelani River. Engineers have illuminated the new bridge using new technologies of lighting systems from other countries to make it a local and foreign tourist attraction.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
