Colombo-Matara Expressway

Colombo-Matara Expressway is the first and the longest Expressway of Sri Lanka. This expressway constructed at a cost of Rs. 85 Billion has 48 under-passes, 12 overhead-passes and 18 major bridges, including Sri Lanka’s longest bridge of 780 meters in length and 18 meters in width over the Bentara River. The cost of this bridge alone amounted to Rs. 1,090 Million. This bridge connects the Southern province with the Western province. There are five main bridges located in the Kottawa to Kurundugahahetekma Section. They include the 150 meter long Kalu ganga bridge in Welipenna and the 120 meter long Mahauragaha bridge. Under the second stage of the project it will be developed from Galle to Matara, and construction work of this sector is already progressing rapidly. When completed the travel time fro Colombo to Matara will be reduced by more than two hours. Up to Galle the expressway has 8 interjections and up to Matara it will have 11 interjections. The Police Department will deploy around 500 personnel for duties along the Expressway, and a special Police Division has been formed for exclusive expressway duties after it is opened to traffic, Senior DIG Traffic Management and Police Field Force Headquarters Radio cars and motorcycle patrols will be on round the clock all days duty under this Police Division. It has been planned to establish the Headquarters of this Police Division at Kurundugahahetekma as it would be the central point of the Expressway once the construction is completed up to Matara, This Division will also be used in addition to traffic control, for firefighting, and paramedical duties and for the security at the toll collection points. Paramedics have been selected from the Special Task Force and the firefighting units have been provided with required training.