We the unfortunate victims of developing Battaramulla
estling close to the Diyawanna Oya which meanders leisurely through the ancient Kingdom of Sri Jayawardanapura and almost on the Western outskirts of the Urban Council area of Kotte lies the peaceful and serene hamlet of Battaramulla. The rattle of wooden planks that once lay across the narrow bridge of Diyawanna and the dusty winding roads, which ran through the stretches of marshy land, made this little known part of the Colombo District accessible only to light vehicles, bullock carts, long lines of pedal cyclists, and pedestrians winding their way to and from the cities of Colombo and Kotte…..” - An excerpt from a letter to a newspaper published in October 1984, by C. P. J. Cooray, a lawyer and a resident of “Jayanthipura”, the first housing scheme built by the Department of National Housing in Battaramulla.
The times referred to by the writer were probably the early 1950’s. By the 1960’s, Battaramulla became moder- ately populated with a second housing scheme “Sri Subuthipura”. That was the time when a gallon (4.5 L) of petrol was Rs. 3. The CTB bus fare from Battaramulla to Ethul Kotte, Borella, and to Pettah was 5, 15, and 30 cents respectively. The CTB lived well up to its monopoly by running an efficient bus service that catered from school children to people going to work, despite the time - dawn, dusk or even midnight. On the whole, the CTB bus service was so prompt that it cleared up the passenger queues and they made it to the schools and offices in time. Today, the main bus stand which was boon to many travellers, has been replaced by a building that could easily have found an alternative location and that has thrown the travellers to wayside bus halts all over the city.
In the 1980’s, the new Parliament gave Battaramulla a prestigious position on the map. The population increased, roads were widened, supermarkets came up, banks opened their branches and numerous government offices were moved to newly built Sethsiripaya. Adorned with such upgrading in spite of insurrections and terrorist attacks at various times in the country, life in general was peaceful in Battaramulla.
The recent past has drastically changed the atmosphere in Battaramulla. In addition to the expansion of Sethsiripaya, Auditor General’s Department, Department of Immigration and Emigration and other offices in massive buildings are scattered around half a kilometre in the town. It has resulted in thousands of workers flocking to this limited area of the town causing massive traffic congestion from 6.30 a.m. to past 9 a.m. in vehicles diverted via the new Kandy road, Kaduwela, Athurugiriya, Kottawa and Kotte. It is an ordeal for drivers going from or through Battaramulla at those times.
The latest plan under consideration is to have staggered working hours for the offices concerned. If it will solve the problem to some extent or prolong the agony of the motorists is yet to be realized. To ease the traffic congestion, new roads are being constructed parallel to the main road. That also leads to the question if those new roads will go through residential properties of some who had great hopes to make this part of the city their permanent abode years back.
Development in its true sense should be for the well-being of mankind. We do not wish to be carried to the age of dusty gravel roads and bridges with wooden planks, but keep wondering if we are not the unfortunate victims of the unplanned urbanization of Battaramulla. Nevil A. Perera Battaramulla