COLOMBO, 08 May, 2021 (TON): Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Ruwanpura Expressway Project said that “We as a country, should join hands and face this challenging time,” and emphasized that the development process of the country will not be limited by any challenges.

The PM said the government is launching this project when the whole world is engulfed in a pandemic as it believes that good road network is a measure of a country’s progress.

“Today we are embarking on the Ruwanpura Expressway at a challenging time when not only the country but the entire world is gripped by the Covid epidemic. You are aware that we, as a government are giving priority to protecting the people from the Covid-19 epidemic. Also, despite the difficulties, we have not deviated from the path of developing the country.”

The PM recalled that his government in 2006 started the construction of the Southern Expressway as the first expressway in Sri Lanka while a war was ravaging in the country.

While addressing to the inaugural ceremony of the Ruwanpura Expressway Project PM said “We are launching the Seventh Expressway in Sri Lanka today. I remember from the early days when highways were being built, our beloved people in Sabaragamuwa asked us when a highway would be built to Ratnapura,” the Prime Minister said recalling that the plans to build

the Ruwanpura Expressway were drawn in 2014. However, the project was abandoned by the previous government, the Premier added.

The whole world is now fighting the COVID plague. But we cannot keep the country closed because of COVID. While fighting against the virus, we also need to think about the economic condition of the people in the country. You know that if people follow proper health advice, it will not be so difficult for us to control this situation. Therefore, I urge people to always follow the advice given by the health sector,” the Prime Minister said.

The development efforts of successive governments during the last several decades have led to growth in per capita incomes, increase in standard of living of the people and decrease in overall poverty levels. However, Sri Lanka faces a host of environmental problems.