THE DISMAL STATE OF THE ROADS AND PAVEMENTS IN THE CITY OF COLOMBO

A few months ago, all the main roads and by roads throughout the city of Colombo were dug up to lay some pipes or cables. The areas that were dug up were not repaired for some time. Then they haphazardly covered up the dug up areas, making it uneven as the carpeting was not done. This had an adverse effect on the vehicles as it would have affected their alignments, especially the smaller cars.

After another few weeks, the broad strips were carpeted, but in most areas, it was not done properly. Now it might take ages to cover these roads with carpeting to make it safe for vehicles to travel without any damage.

In addition to this haphazard manner in which the repairs had been done after laying the pipelines or cables, there are a number of roads which have potholes, some as large as ponds. When there is heavy rain, as we experienced recently, these potholes get covered and motorists find it difficult to negotiate them and sometimes, they may be so deep that a vehicle, especially a smaller one, could get stuck in one.

The pavements in most parts of the city are not maintained properly so that the surface is not even and any person walking on these pavements stands the risk of tripping and having a fall, which sometimes may even be fatal.

On some roads, there are lamp posts or posts carrying telephone wires which are abutting onto the road or in the middle of the pavement. This could be hazardous to both motorists as well as pedestrians who could get knocked down by a vehicle trying to avoid these posts.

Now that there are no Municipal Councilors and a Mayoress to waste money on unnecessary things, the monies collected from the rate payers could be properly used to repair the roads and pavements to help the motorists and the pedestrians.

HM NISSANKA WARAKAULLE