New Kelani Bridge: Sri Lanka benefits from direct technology transfer-by Sanath Nanayakkare Source:Island Project saw equal involvement of both Japanese and Sri Lankan engineers The new bridge across the Kelani river at Peliyagoda – the first extradosed bridge built in Sri Lanka – which is set to be opened soon, saw equal involvement of both Japanese and Sri Lankan engineers, facilitating sustainable technology transfer to Sri Lankan professionals and sub-contracting Sri Lankan companies, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) told the media recently. “Notably, the project team from Road Development Authority (RDA) – the implementing agency for the Project employed women at professional and management levels, at equal pay as men. The total number of women employed was low compared to the number of men, but Sri Lankan women held key positions such as Project Director from Road Development Authority, and as site engineers and quantity surveyors, thus enabling a direct ...

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Cable Bridge over Kelani River – major engineering feat By Aditya Abeysinghe   Sri Lanka’s first Cable Bridge, a great engineering achievement is planned to be opened to public in July, 2021. Funding for the project is provided as a loan by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) with a financial assistance of 35,020 million Japanese Yen. Due to the high volume of traffic entering Colombo City, the need for a new link bridge to reduce the traffic over the current bridge and its urban surroundings were planned over a long period. Hence, the Government of Sri Lanka began constructing a new elevated road project in 2014 running parallel to the current bridge (above *Kelani River) and extending to urban areas in Colombo by the river such as *Dematagoda and *Baseline road. The new bridge is built as a cable suspension bridge to withstand harsh environmental conditions and wear out ...

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