Nov 9 2010
The Government of Sri Lanka has announced that they will invite Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) to make financial and technical proposals for deploying a fiber-optic network in the 126 km southern expressway. SLT provides high-speed broadband services to the country.
Sri Lanka’s biggest highway project, the southern expressway, is an access-controlled highway that extends from Konawa to Godagama and connects the southern region of the country to Colombo. The expressway will have 11 interchanges at Godagama, Kokmaduwa, Deegoda, Pinnaduwa, Nayapamula, Kurundugahahethakma, Welipanne, Dodangoda, Gelanigama, Kahatuduwa, and Konawa to assure error-free maintenance and operation of the highway. Majority of the funding for the expressway project is provided by Japan and ADB.
Media Minister of the Sri Lankan Government, Keheliya Rambukwella commented that the fiber-optic network would help in developing a toll collection system. The government owns 49.5% of SLT, while Global Telecommunication Holdings, a firm managed by Maxis Group, owns 44.98% of the company, Rambukwella said.