SAD PLIGHT OF A ONCE BEAUTIFUL TOWN
IT HAS TURNED INTO A SQUALID TOWN DUE TO NEGLECT OF BASIC FACILITIES AND PUBLIC UTILITIES
One of the main cities in the Colombo District with an urban population and a tourist zone, Dehiwala town, has turned into a squalid town due to neglect of public utilities.
The public expressed concern about the sad state of the town for want of basic amenities and the broken down utility services. They pointed out that every development project implemented in the town was a failure.they said the development projects created more hardship to the people and the flyover was one such.
A trader in Dehiwala town said on anonymity that the flyover bridge created a series of issues and that the obstructions to free flow of storm water and waste water was mainly caused by the illadvised project. He said the flyover in Dehiwala town was a failed project that resulted in a colossal waste of public funds but served no purpose and that it has only worsened the traffic congestion.
Residents of the area expressed concern about hardships facing tens of thousands of people living in the area and those from other areas visiting the town for multifarious needs, for want of a permanent bus stand which had been neglected by the planners of development projects under the successive governments for more than three decades.
An employee of a private establishment in Battaramulla, G.H. Sumudu Prasanna said he
travelled daily from Panadura and took another bus from Dehiwala. He said the buses from outstations dropped and boarded passengers in front of the shops near the flyover while buses on short distance routes starting from Dehiwala were parked along the station road.
“Buses are parked at different places convenient to the drivers for want of a bus stand. After getting off the trains, passengers on short distance routes run hither and thither to find buses and then keep standing in front of boutiques,” he said.
Meanwhile, traders in the town pointed out that the underground drainage system and the sewers had developed cracks and that waste water flowed along the road submerging a vast area on either side of the flyover.they said the free flow of storm water was obstructed during heavy rain creating a flood threat in the town.
“The flyover project caused extensive damage to the sewers and the storm water drains. The underground sewers were damaged. However, the flyover failed to resolve the traffic congestion in the town. In fact it had worsened after constructing the flyover.the flow of waste water from the leaking sewers and the storm water cause hardship to the pedestrians and the passengers waiting for buses in front of the shops near the flyover. Splish splash of waste water and storm water that submerged the road, often hit the shops and boutiques by the roadside when speeding vehicles pass by. We have noticed people including schoolchildren waiting for buses, getting soaked by the splash of waste water,” they said.
Residents of the area requested the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development to focus attention on the sad state of the Dehiwala town and to implement a formal development plan.