Contracted to China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), the Sri Lanka Southern Expressway Extension is a key transportation artery connecting the country’s western and southern regions. Although the expressway extension officially opened to traffic on Feb. 23, the project is still in its defect liability period, and CSCEC is continuing to work on minor construction tasks to fulfill its obligations.

Shortly after the COVID-19 outbreak, the project management department established an epidemic prevention and control leading group, as well as a working group, arranged contextually effective contingency plans, and established a three-level emergency response mechanism.

The project management department took strict measures to prevent imported COVID-19 cases as work and production resumed. Returning employees were required to report their travel history for the past 14 days as well as the health status of themselves and their family members. All itineraries of returning employees were strictly carried out according to the plan, and dedicated staff were responsible for arranging every trip of the return journey—from airports in China to the destination airport in Sri Lanka, from the Sri Lanka airport to the project site, and finally to the quarantine area. The department checked and registered the body temperatures of employees in isolation twice a day, and had their meals prepared and delivered.

In order to reduce the risk of infection caused by the movement of people, both Chinese and Sri Lankan employees on site are now managed in a unified manner, while the frequency and scale of on-site meetings are reduced and strictly controlled. Body temperatures of all staff are monitored constantly, and public areas, such as office and living areas, are disinfected on a regular basis. The project management stays in close contact with the local health authority, maintains effective communication with the project owner, the supervisor, and the community, while strengthening security at the construction site to ensure the safety of the project.

Epidemic prevention information is displayed on posters and sent through online communication groups. Sinhala and English versions of the posters are available for the Sri Lankan employees, and the latest epidemic-related news released by the local government and media is forwarded and shared in a timely manner.

Disinfectants and hand sanitizers are provided in public areas, while masks are distributed to employees every day and are required to be worn. Employees are advised to keep a distance of more than two meters when talking with each other. Individual meals are served in the canteen where diners are required to face the same direction and maintain a safe distance. On important local festivals, CSCEC has sent caring messages to employees, provided support to those in need, and conducted adequate psychological counseling to help to maintain a healthy and positive mindset.