Prez reminds Opposition of findings of Easter Sunday PCoI

The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into the Easter Sunday attacks (2019) appointed by the previous gvernment had held the then government including the then President, Prime Minister and the Cabinet responsible for the lapses that led to the attacks, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said at the opening of the new Kelani Bridge named “Golden Gate Kalyani” in Peliyagoda, on Wednesday (24).

The President’s Office said in a media statement: “The President said the PCoI report had been referred to Parliament, the Attorney General, and the CID for action to be taken. He added that through an Act of Parliament, a law could be enforced against the culprits named by the Commission.”

The President urged the Opposition to be careful when it tried to deceive the people. The new bridge was constructed to ease traffic congestion on the old Kelani Bridge due to the large number of vehicles entering and leaving Colombo.

The government of Sri Lanka and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) prepared the initial plans for the bridge in 2012, and its feasibility study was conducted in 2013. The Cabinet approved the construction of the bridge in 2014. The relevant agreements were also signed in the same year. Construction work began in 2017 after providing alternative shelter for the affected people providing alternative places for the public and private institutions affected by the project. The cost of the project is Rs. 55,000 million. The Bridge consists of six lanes from the entrance of the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway towards the Bandaranaike Roundabout and from that point onwards, the flyover will be four lanes towards Orugodawatte and the Ingurukade Junction. This will enable access to the elevated expressways from Ingurukade Junction to the Colombo Port City and from Orugodawatta to Athurugiriya.

The bridge has been constructed in such a way that it does not obstruct the flow of the Kelani River, and plants, including Koboneela, Esala, May-Mara, Mee and Kumbuk, have been planted on both sides of the main road.

“During the tenure of President Mahinda Rajapaksa from 2005 to 2010, massive development took place in the country. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, a number of infrastructure development projects have been initiated. All development activities will continue, and all the promised projects will be completed if there are no other lockdowns in the country in the future,” the President said.

Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said that the Opposition should not be allowed to sabotage the development programmes being carried out by the government. He added that during the tenure of President Mahinda Rajapaksa plans were made to build a Bridge in Kinniya.