Construction of the Kurunegala-Galewela section of the Central Expressway is expected to begin before the end of 2026, Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Prasanna Gunasena has said.
The section is the first phase of Section 4 of the Central Expressway (CEP 4), which is planned to run from Kurunegala to Dambulla.
Gunasena chaired a special meeting on Thursday on the land acquisition procedures that must be completed before work can start. The meeting focused on speeding up acquisition and coordinating the institutions involved.
Members of Parliament Sunil Biyanwila, Sujeewa Dissanayake and M.K.M. Aslam attended, along with representatives of local authorities from Rideegama, Ibbagamuwa, Galewela and Dambulla. Officials of the Road Development Authority, the Ministry of Lands, the Survey Department, the Valuation Department, the Department of Archaeology and the Forest Conservation Department also took part.
The government says it aims to speed up preparations so that the first phase can begin within 2026.
