Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya has ordered urgent renovation of the Ratmalana Kandawala Road and its drainage infrastructure, citing repeated flooding that disrupts access to factories and educational institutions.
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya has ordered the immediate commencement of renovation work on the Ratmalana Kandawala Road and its drainage system during a special discussion held on July 30 at the Western Provincial Council Office. The road serves as a critical access route to manufacturing facilities and higher education institutions in the region.
According to authorities, the drainage system on both sides of the road has become severely obstructed, resulting in frequent flooding during rainy seasons that affects residents, service users, and employees. Years of inadequate maintenance combined with unauthorized construction have compounded the problem. Officials identified multiple contributing factors, including unauthorized structures blocking water flow, insufficient maintenance of drainage channels, and culverts and bridges that are undersized for current demand. Geographic constraints such as minimal elevation difference between the Werassa River and the drainage system, along with high groundwater levels, have also been noted as obstacles.
The Prime Minister emphasized that unresolved land ownership questions and unclear institutional responsibility for maintenance have hindered previous efforts to address the crisis. She stressed the importance of coordinated action among state institutions to develop comprehensive solutions. According to NewsWire, the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation has already developed a preliminary plan, with the Western Provincial Road Development Authority expected to lead development efforts once outstanding coordination issues are resolved.
Amarasuriya underscored that the final rehabilitation plan must incorporate effective flood control mechanisms to ensure uninterrupted service delivery to the public, export-oriented manufacturing operations, and educational facilities in the area.
