A delegation from the Malaysian government is due in Colombo on June 22. This feasibility study follows one done by a Swedish firm in the year 2000.
The secretary of the Malaysian Works Ministry will sign the agreement to conduct the feasibility study for the government of Malaysia, Sirisena Amarasekera, Secretary of the Ministry of Highways, said.
The proposed Colombo-Kandy Expressway is to start from Kadawatha and terminate at Katugastota. The 98 kilometre, 4 lane expressway is expected to be operated as a toll road.
Under an earlier feasibility study conducted with Swedish assistance, the expressway was due to begin construction this year, at an estimated cost of 30 billion rupees.
But now it is expected to be much higher. Each day between 10 -15 thousand vehicles are estimated to travel on the existing overcrowded Colombo-Kandy road.
The government has spent 50 billion rupees on fuel subsidies during the last two years, which would have been more than enough to build s