The road to be taken

By Ananda Ambena

An overpass to Katunayake from Colombo on the existing Katunayake road is necessary, most would agree, having read the article, "The road not taken" by Surath Wickramasinghe (March 5). The article also confirmed my view, which I discussed with Southern Province Chief Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene, that with regard to the Southern Expressway, it is essential for it to connect to Colombo city.

The publicity that the expressway from Matara to Colombo would reach the city limits and the drive would take just two hours, at a speed of over 100 kmph is misleading.

On studying the document issued by the Road Development Authority (RDA) it is very clear that the expressway does not reach the city, making the whole exercise useless.

The RDA has designed this Matara-Kottawa Expressway, over a distance of about 128 kilometres, from a 200-metre wide belt, with a road track of 80 metres.

This is now being surveyed for final determination by designers M/S Wilber Smith Associates of America.

Work is to begin after a long slumber of about 10 years.

Yet, the fact that the expressway does not reach the Colombo city limits means that it does not come up to the expectations of the people especially those in the Western and Southern Provinces.

The proposed expressway begins at Matara and runs through Malimboda, Welipitiya, Habaraduwa, Akmeemana, Pahala Keembiya, Sandarawala, Nayapamula, Ethkandura , Kurundugahahetekma, Alikehena, Atakohota, Rantotuwila, Ittepana, Dodangoda, Bamunumala, Serupita, Atulugama, Bandaragama and Polgasowita to Kottawa.

There it stops and motorists will have to take the High Level Road, which is a bottleneck to the city.

At Kottawa, it also joins the outer expressway which runs from Panadura via Bandaragama, Polgasowita, Kadigamuwa, Athurugiriya, Biyagama, Kadawata and Ragama.

The intersections on the Southern Expressway are few: Kokmaduwa, Padinnoruwa, Kotagoda, Nayapamula, Kurundugaha-hetekma, Welipenna, Lewwanduwa, Bombuwala, Bandaragama, Polgasowita and Kottawa.

Galle Road itself is a bottleneck right through its 100 mile route. Therefore, the Southern Expressway was designed about ten years ago, as an alternative, only to find that people have just been fooled.

For they will only be able to 'fly like speed birds' to Kottawa and then jog it all the way to Colombo on the High Level Road, which would take another one-and-a-half hours.

So much so, if an access road is not built to the city limits as suggested, from Polgasowita to Kirulapone via Kesbewa, Piliyandala, Boralesgamuwa and connected to Narahenpita and Borella, and on to Katunayake, then the purpose of the expressway would be null and void.

The proposed extension or diversion of the Southern Expressway should commence at Polgasowita, go through Kirulapone and link up with the Kirulapone-Dematagoda Road, now under construction, and in turn connect up with the proposed Peliyagoda-Katunayake Expressway.

Here Mr. Wickramasinghe's proposal to have an overpass to the international airport should be given due consideration by the RDA and politicians.

Since the Southern Expressway would open up the south to foreign investors and development, a proper link with the city of Colombo should be given serious thought by those in authority.

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