Delayed payments to contractors; Digarolla Bridge repairs stop
People ask why; it’s a World Bank funded project
Contractors who undertook the construction of the new Digarolla Bridge on old Galle Road spanning the Bolgoda River have not been paid for the work done. They said they were compelled to suspend the project due to that reason.
One contractor, M .A. Jehan said two companies had undertaken the construction of the bridge and that they had completed about 80 per cent of the work. He said the project should have been completed within 45 days as required by the government, but that it had been dragging on for more than two years.
“During the previous government , the Road Development Authority had failed to make payments for the work completed. The present government has also neglected making payments resulting in the suspension of the project from time to time. The project is funded by the World Bank and the delayed payments are surprising. Up to now, we have received only about 50 per cent of the payments due. We use our own funds to carry on the work to a certain degree and expect payments for the work done. However the RDA has not paid us and we are not in position to complete the project. If we were paid in time we could have completed the project in a couple of weeks, ” he said.
Meanwhile , area residents pointed out that the previous government that inaugurated the project expected to complete it within 45 days, but it’s more than one- and- half years since then. The bridge also sits on the main Panadura-Colombo bus route and the main link between Moratuwa and Panadura towns. Consequently, because of the inconvenience being caused to a large population living along the old Galle road due to the delay in completing the bridge, they request the government to look into the issue or else it would end up in a colossal waste of public funds.
During the previous government , the RDA had failed to make payments, the present government has also neglected it. The project is funded by the World Bank, so the delayed payments are surprising