Colombo - Katunayake Expressway is Sri Lanka's second E Class highway. The highway links the Sri Lankan capital Colombo with

Bandaranaike International Airport Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) ( si, බණ්ඩාරනායක ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළ, translit=Bandāranāyaka Jātyantara Guvantoṭupaḷa; ta, பண்டாரநாயக்க � ...

Katunayake Katunayake ( si, කටුනායක, ta, கட்டுநாயகம்), is a suburb of Negombo city in Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is the site of Bandaranaike International Airport or Colombo Airport, the primary international air g ...

and Negombo. Construction on the highway began in October 2009, and it was opened on 27 October 2013, by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. The highway has three lanes each way from Colombo to Peliyagoda, and two lanes each way from Peliyagoda to Katunayake, with the width ranging from . The total cost of the project is US $292 million. Exim Bank of China funded US$248.2 million of the total cost and the government of Sri Lanka spent US$45 million on the project. The speed limit is for the first and for the rest of the road. The Expressway has 42 bridges and 88 culverts including a 480 metre long viaduct at Hunupitiya and an 800-metre viaduct at Katunayake. The opening of the highway has allowed people to travel between Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka and Katunayake, the major international airport of Sri Lanka, within 15 minutes. The E03 expressway links the capital Colombo with one of the major commercial hubs in the country and the major tourist destination, Negombo, within 20 minutes. Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) has also commenced a luxury bus service on the road, conducting services between Colombo - Negombo.

History

The contract was awarded to

China Metallurgical Group Corporation China Metallurgical Group Corporation (MCC, ), is a Chinese state-owned enterprise headquartered in Beijing, engaged in EPC ( engineering, procurement, and construction), natural resources exploitation, papermaking, equipment fabrication, r ...

(MCC) by the Government of Sri Lanka and the agreement was signed on 17 August 2008. The project loan agreements were signed on 6 August 2009 and the construction commenced on 18 August 2009. The expressway was opened on 27 October 2013 by

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Interchanges

#New Kelani Bridge Interchange #Peliyagoda Interchange #Kerawalapitiya Interchange (connect with Outer Circular Expressway) #Ja-Ela Interchange #Katunayake Interchange

Toll Structure

The portion between New Kelani Bridge entrance (entry point from the City of Colombo) and Peliyagoda interchange is toll-free. Only the portion beyond Peliyagoda is operating as a toll road. Toll is to be paid at the Negombo toll-plaza when travelling direct from Peliyagoda, or when exiting at any toll-station mid-way. ETC (Electronic toll collection) systems installed at all interchanges along the expressway. *Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) payment facility is available in all Toll Gates in Colombo-Katunayake Expressway. *ETC card will be issued at Customer Care Center located at Peliyagoda near to the Thorana Junction in Colombo-Kandy Road (A1). *Payment for the ETC shall be done by recharging an ETC account opened in

Bank of Ceylon Bank of Ceylon (BOC; Sinhala: ලංකා බැංකුව ''Lanka Bænkuwa'', Tamil: இலங்கை வங்கி ''Ilangai Vangi'') is a state-owned, major commercial bank in Sri Lanka. Its head office is located in an iconic cy ...

by any means such as cash, direct debit or e-banking. Small Vehicles #

Peliyagoda Peliyagoda is a town in the Western Province of Sri Lanka, lying mostly on the north shore of the Kelani River The Kelani River ( si, කැළණි ගඟ) is a river in Sri Lanka. Ranking as the fourth-longest river in the country, it str ...

Ja-Ela Ja-Ela ( si, ජා-ඇල, ta, ஜா-எல) is a suburb of Colombo, located approximately north of the Colombo city centre. Ja-Ela lies on the A3 road which overlaps with the Colombo – Katunayake Expressway at the Ja-Ela Interchange. ...

- LKR 200 #

- LKR 300 Large Vehicles #

- LKR 300 #

- LKR 600 Bus fares of the Private luxury service # Colombo -

- LKR 150 (Route No. 187 E-03) # Colombo - Negombo - LKR 150 (Route No. 240 E-03) Bus fares of the SLTB super luxury service # Colombo -

- LKR 150 (Route No. 187 E-03) # Colombo - Negombo - LKR 150 (Route No. 240 E-03)

Gallery

File:Birds-Eye Shot of CKE.jpg, Birds-Eye Shot of CKE File:CKE at night.jpg, CKE at night File:CKE EO3.jpg, CKE File:Colombo Katunayake Expressway declared open.jpg, Colombo Katunayake Expressway declared open File:Display Sign on CKE.jpg, Display Sign on CKE File:Electronic Display Sign - CKE.jpg, Electronic Display Sign - CKE File:A road sign in Colombo - Katunayake Expressway, Sri Lanka.jpg, A road sign File:Elevated section of the CKE.jpg, Elevated section of the CKE File:ConstructionE03-January2012-01.JPG, CKE under construction in 2012.

References

External links