Tourists enter country on dark expressway, as Police and CEB drag feet
For more than six months, thieves have cut high-voltage electricity cables on the Katunayake-Colombo Expressway, making it impossible to turn on lights. Authorities are struggling to get the connection back, mainly due to the high cost of restoring the wiring.
As a result, drivers on the expressway travel in the dark. Tourists entering the city from the airport will have a bad first impression of the country.
Electrical wiring on the Katunayake-Colombo Expressway, and also the safety netting, have been cut and sold for iron.
The removal of copper wire from concrete covers of the Kalyani Bridge, newly built with a Japanese loan, has resulted in a loss of 286 million rupees, according to officials.
Deputy Director of the Southern Expressway R A D Kahatapitiya told the Sunday Times that investigations by the Sri Lanka Traffic Police are not progressing, and reiterated the need for better Police handling of the situation.
There are no security protocols in place on the highways, according to Mr Kahatapitiya. Under directive of the National Security Council, tenders have been called to deploy armed security where relevant. Discussions will take place on Tuesday (9) with the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB).
As a fix, instead of using copper cables, aluminum cables will be installed in place of the copper cables, Mr Kahatapitiya said.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has requested immediate action from the Road Development Authority (RDA), which is in charge of the expressway, as the situation could cause potential accidents and theft, inconveniencing both locals and tourists.
SLTDA Chairman Priantha Fernando said that inadequate street lighting is daunting and unsafe for tourists, and would deter repeated visits.