COVID-19 MT NEW DIAMOND LOCAL CASES TOTAL CASES LEGAL 3,276 IMBROGLIO DEATHS RECOVERED CONTINUES ACTIVE CASES 203 13 3,060 RS. 70.00 PAGES 80 / SECTIONS 7 VOL. 02 – NO. 52 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2020 CASES AROUND THE WORLD RECOVERD TOTAL CASES 22,092,196 RUWAN DOWN TO CRIB TO DEATHS WORK; 20A COMES TO UPDATE CREDIT 30,407,457 951,473 P’MENT THIS WEEK DATA DAILY THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 6.15 P.M. ON 18 SEPTEMBER 2020 »SEE PAGES 8 & 9 »SEE BUSINESS PAGE 1 »SEE PAGE 5 CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY PROJECT STAGE I Delay costs Govt. Rs. 30 b z Loss mainly due to cost overruns from Section I z Cost increases from $ 158 m to $ 194 m z Govt. blames previous Govt. for Section I delays BY MAHEESHA MUDUGAMUWA The cost overruns have been pace due to the delay in disbursing Meanwhile, the construction of of Highways Johnston Fernando, a calculated based on the price escalations funds of the already signed agreement, Section I of the CEP commenced last proposal has been presented to the The Government will have to absorb billions of rupees as of the construction materials from covering 85% of the contract price, is week. Accordingly, the 37 km stretch Cabinet to construct stretches of roads on additional cost overruns due to the delay in commissioning the date of signing the construction yet to properly begin its construction which was undertaken by Metallurgical the CEP from Pothuhera to Galagedara Section I of the Central Expressway Project (CEP) during the contract agreement to the date when due to the delay on the part of the Corporation of China was scheduled to and Kurunegala to Dambulla. tenure of the previous Government, The Sunday Morning learnt. the construction actually started, Government to meet the agreed 15% be completed in four years. “We hope to complete construction according to a well-informed source of the total loan amount. Section I includes three interchanges work on these expressways within It is learnt that the Government has Accordingly, the total cost of at the Ministry of Highways. However, the contract agreement in Gampaha, Meerigama, and the next three-and-a-half years. We already incurred a loss of around Rs. 30 Section I of the CEP has now increased The 37 km-long Section I of the CEP for Section I was signed in 2015 Veyangoda. The construction would also fast tracked and completed the billion as a result of cost overruns only from around $ 158 million to $ 194 was scheduled to be constructed by and the delay was caused due to the be done in two stages, of which the construction work of the Matara to from Section I of the CEP which extends million. The RDA had also had to a Chinese contractor at an estimated inability to come to an agreement on first stage will be 5 km long while the Hambantota stretch of road on the from Kadawatha to Meerigama, sources pay an additional Rs. 8 billion as cost of Rs. 158 billion obtained as a the conditions mentioned in the loan rest of the distance will be completed Southern Expressway within four from the Road Development Authority an advance payment to activate the loan from the EXIM Bank of China. agreement, which has caused a massive at a cost of Rs. 168.5 million. months,” he said. (RDA) told The Sunday Morning. Chinese loan. Section I, which moved at a snail’s price escalation. Meanwhile, according to Minister Contd. on page 2 STATE EDUCATION RUWANPURA EXPRESSWAY PROJECT SLMC CRISIS Running on AMS and GMOA lock horns Tenders within two weeks Two health sector Lanka Medical Council Lalantha Ranasinghe, z Ministry finalising tender documents z Cost estimates after tender process associations, namely the (SLMC)”. issuing a media deficit? Association of Medical AMS on Friday (18) release, stated that the The Ministry of Highways Authority (RDA), the tender the contractors are finalised, BY SARAH HANNAN Specialists (AMS) expressed concerns over association was gravely is to call for tenders for documents were now being the source stressed. The Ministry of Education last week had and the Government the present issue faced concerned about the the construction of the finalised by the Ministry and However, as learnt by The announced they are out of a budget until the Medical Officers’ by the SLMC, claiming recent developments at long-delayed Ruwanpura the process had been expedited, Sunday Morning, the funds for 2021 Budget is presented in December and Association (GMOA), that the current crisis was the SLMC which we have Expressway within the next considering the delay faced the project had not yet been that they would not have allocations to repair are at loggerheads over strongly linked to the trade come to know through two weeks, The Sunday by the project during the past finalised and the estimates were or purchase inventory items such as classroom what has been termed the unionisation of the SLMC. mass media. Morning learnt. few years. to be done after concluding the furniture and other amenities until then. “current crisis at the Sri AMS President Dr. Contd. on page 2 As said by a senior official The project would commence tender process. Contd. on page 2 of the Road Development without any delay, soon after Contd. on page 2 CAPITAL HEIGHTS COVID-19 SJB to CAPITALRS. 34 MILLION HEIGHTS Complacency threatens UPWARDSRS. 34 MILLION another outbreak go green UPWARDS Ministry of Health of Covid-19-positive cases BY SKANDHA GUNASEKARA Epidemiologist Unit Chief detected amongst repatriated CAPITAL HEIGHTSEpidemiologist Dr. Sudath migrant workers arriving in Opposition Leader and Samaraweera raised concerns Sri Lanka. Samagi Jana Balawegaya RS. 34 MILLIONover the increasing amount Contd. on page 2 (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa VISIT OUR UPWARDSWEBSITE on Friday (18) appointed a WASTE PROJECTS committee to monitor and CAPITALVISIT HEIGHTS OUR B’DESH QUARANTINE protect the environment. SHOW APARTMENT +94 763112233 RS.35 MILLIONWEBSITE UPWARDSRS. 34 MILLION Back on Contd. on page 2 READY FOR INSPECTION UPWARDS SLC awaits PROJECT NEARING+94 763112233 COMPLETION VISIT OURtrack task force 20A in SHOW APARTMENT WEBSITEWith the Aruwakkalu VISIT OUR constructions being expedited, word the House +94 763112233WEBSITE READY FOR INSPECTION SHOW APARTMENT www.capitalheights.lk the rest of the projects under the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) SHOW APARTMENT +94 763112233 purview of the Western Province is awaiting a response this week READY FORREADY INSPECTION FOR INSPECTION Waste Management Authority from the Task Force of the The draft of the 20th PROJECT NEARING COMPLETION are also being expedited. National Operation Centre Amendment to the PROJECT NEARINGPROJECT NEARING COMPLETION COMPLETION The main projects located in for Prevention of Covid- Constitution will be Karadiyana, Kerawalapitiya, and 19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) presented to Parliament this Muthurajawela, had not made much on reducing the number of week, while changes will be progress in generating the much compulsory quarantine days for made at the committee stage talked-about energy contribution the Bangladesh cricket team. in the House, The Sunday towards the national grid. Contd. on page 2 Morning learnt. Contd. on page 2 Contd. on page 2 VVIP AIRCRAFT OWNED BY SRI LANKA Doubts fly high over overhaul z Questions over Lithuanian z Process carried out two company’s qualifications years ago says SLAF Questions have been raised company had submitted the Lanka under a loan scheme in over the handing over of two lowest bid under tender no. 18/ 2013. Fourteen such aircraft VVIP aircraft owned by Sri fr/m.17/10/1 to overhaul the two were purchased by Sri Lanka Lanka to a Lithuanian company aircraft, SHM-4419 MI-174E and the two aircraft handed over for overhauling purposes. and SMH-4429 MI-171E. to Lithuania are of the 14 which As learnt by The Sunday The aircraft manufactured in were purchased in 2013. Morning, the Lithuanian Russia were purchased by Sri Contd. on page 2 2 the sunday morning NEWS Sunday, September 20, 2020 Show must go on: SLTB BY SKANDHA GUNASEKARA that there is opposition to and three-wheelers would Police Motor Traffic and these new lane changes. We resolve the matter. Road Safety Director SSP The Sri Lanka Transport see similar things happening “The new system Indika Hapugoda stated steps Board (SLTB) will abroad as well. But these where three-wheelers and will be taken to allocate more continue operating reforms are needed and thus, motorcycles travel in the space for three-wheelers despite a planned strike the rules must be respected bus lane won’t work. Our and motocycles which were by private bus drivers. and followed.” drivers have complained of restricted to the bus priority Last Monday (14), the the issues they’re facing. If lane. “Our buses will still be on priority bus lane system was the centre lane in a three- Accordingly, he stated the road operating as usual. re-implemented. lane road is given for bikes that on four-lane roads, the These lane changes must be A separate lane solely and three-wheelers, then first and second lanes from adhered to,” SLTB Chairman for buses would prevent a the buses can travel on the the left will be allocated for Kingsley Ranawaka told The general strike by private bus leftmost lane,” Wijeratne buses, three-wheelers, and Sunday Morning. drivers, The Sunday Morning said, adding that the private motorcycles, while on three- He added that it was learnt. bus drivers had agreed to lane roads, buses will be common for such new Lanka Private Bus Owners’ call off the strike if these restriced to using the leftmost changes to face opposition at Association President conditions were met.