Chinese companies begin road extension work in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 November 2010, 05:45 GMT]
China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group, China Aero Technological Engineering Group and China Hydro Corporation, the three Chinese companies that have undertaken the road development projects in the North of Sri Lanka funded by China, began their projects in Jaffna Sunday. Namal Rajapaksa, son of Sri Lanka president Mahinda Rajapaksa and MP for Hambantotoa, inaugurated the projects in Jaffna peninsula accompanied by SL ministers G. L. Pieris, Douglas Devananda, Jaffna Government Agent Ms. Imelda Sukumar and parliamentarian Ranga, sources in Jaffna said. The team of SL ministers and parliamentarians had inaugurated similar road development work in Vanni Saturday.

Road extension and development works were first inaugurated at Stanley Road on Jaffna-Palaali road and then on Jaffna-Point Pedro road in front of Puththoor Somaskantha College where Namal Rajapaksa addressed a public meeting.

Namal Rajapaksa said that road development work taking place in Jaffna peninsula after a period of 30 years is a matter of pleasure. He added that the roads in Sri Lanka should be developed into first grade roads.

SL minister Douglas Devananda speaking at the event requested SL government to afford local work force the opportunity to be employed in the road extension projects in Jaffna peninsula.

Meanwhile, Chinese engineers and technicians have already arrived in Jaffna and the work in the projects is to be done exclusively by Chinese work force, sources in Jaffna said.