Down goes a post-tsunami built bridge
Eight people in a narrow escape
Residents of the area were concerned about the official lethargy in repairing a bridge on the main access road from Devata entrance of the Southern Expressway to the Siyambalagahawatta Vijitharama road. The bridge collapsed two days ago.
Eight people including a child had a narrow escape when they fell into the canal as the bridge collapsed. The 50ft bridge constructed after the tsunami disaster was a narrow one meant for the use of light vehicles like trishaws, motorcycles and light cars. But residents of the area said that the bridge broke down due to its substandard construction. More than 200 families in the Siyambalagahawatta area are now facing hard-
More than 200 families in the Siyambalagahawatta area are facing hardships due to the breakdown of the bridge and consequently their inability to use the only access road to theirvillage
ships due to the breakdown of the bridge and consequently their inability to use the only access road to their village.
A representative of a civil society organisation Ruwanpura Palitha (51) said that the bridge had been a death trap due to the substandard construction and that representations in the past to the relevant authorities were not heeded. “When we heard that the bridge collapsed we rushed there and saved eight people who fell into the canal from drowning. If the bridge broke down in the morning when schoolchildren were using it on their way to school, sev- eral would have drowned, he said
Residents of the area using the Vijitharamaya road to reach the Devata entrance of the Southern Expressway requested the authorities to repair the bridge without further delay.