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PM to launch several mega construction projects today to ease traffic congestion
A project to construct five flyovers and a four-lane elevated expressway from the New Kelani Bridge to Athurugiriya to ease traffic congestion in Colombo and Kandy is scheduled to be launched by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa today (07).
The inauguration ceremony will be held with the participation of a limited number of people as per the health regulations in place in view of the pandemic.
Prime Minister Rajapaksa will participate at the ceremony via new technology from Temple Trees.
Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said that the implementation of the project demonstrated the government’s commitment to the vision and policies of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour. This year’s budget had laid special emphasis on solving traffic congestion in main cities, the Minister said, adding that as part the project five new flyovers and an elevated expressway from the New Kelani Bridge to Athurugiriya would be constructed.
Flyovers would be constructed at Kohuwala junction, Getambe Junction, overpassing the Slave Island Railway Station to Justice Akbar Mawatha, Uttarananda Mawatha and another flyover connecting two overhead bridges. A flyover would be constructed across Beira Lake and Slave Island to the Bala Daksha Mawatha and another connecting Chittampalam A Gardiner Mawatha.
Cabinet approval has been granted for these constructions.
The four-lane elevated expressway from the New Kelani Bridge to Athurugiriya is planned to reduce huge traffic congestion created by vehicles coming from the Southern Expressway to Colombo and those from Battaramulla, Kaduwela and Aturugiriya to Colombo. It is 16.4 km in length and estimated cost is Rs 134.9 billion. The construction would be done by the China Harbour Engineering Company in 36 months. The elevated expressway will start from the New Kelani Bridge and runs through Kolonnawa, Rajagiriya, Buthgamauwa, Battaramulla, Koswatte, Pothuarawa, Hokandara to Outer Circular Expressway. There would be inter-exchanges at Orugodawatte, Rajagriya, Koswatte, Hokandara and at Dematagoda connecting the Baseline Road. There would be another inter-exchange linking the elevated expressway to the Outer Circular Expressway at Athurugiriya.
The Flyover at Kohuwala junction will be constructed with the financial aid from the Hungarian government at a cost of 2,648 million rupees. The overhead bridge would be of 217.30 m in length and 9.4 m in width overarching a four-lane road connecting Nugegoda and Kalubowila controlled by traffic signals. The project is expected to be completed in 22 months.
The flyover at the Getambe junction will be constructed with the financial aid from the Hungarian government at a cost of Rs. 9,451 million. It would be 396.70 metres in length and its branch-flyover would be 285 metres in length. The width of the flyover would be covered in three segments. The main flyover would be of 9.40 metres in length and counted together with the branch flyover the total width would be 12.90 metres. The width of the branch-flyover from Kandy to Peradeniya would be 6.40 meters. In additions the plans have been made to construct the underway enabling two or three vehicles at once and it comprise a 30 meter long four-lane iron bridge from Peradeniya to Kandy. The project is scheduled to be completed in 28 months.
Length of the Flyover at the Justice Akbar Mawatha will be 207 m It would be 8.4 m in width. Flyover at the Uttarananda Mawatha will be 396 m in length and 10.4 min width. The flyover connecting the two aforementioned flyovers would be 310 meters in length and 6.9 meters in width. Total cost for three aforementioned flyovers is estimated at 5,270 million rupees. It is planned to be completed in 12 months and construction work of the flyovers would be by Maga Engineering Pvt Ltd.
The Flyover across Beira Lake and Slave Island Railway Station connecting Bala Daksha Mawatha and Chittampalam A Gardner Mawatha is planned to be completed in 12 months. It will be 360 m in length and 11 meters in width. The total construction cost is Rs 2,730 million and the work is to be completed by the Access Engineering PLC.
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
