Commuters stranded midstream as travel restriction imposed at short notice
People who were returning home on Wednesday were forced to undergo unexpected difficulties as the travel restriction between the Western Province and other provinces was imposed at short notice while they were in transit.
This had commuters in midstream, stranded and confused on the roadsides as they were making their way back home after work. Some people had been traveling half way on the Southern Expressway when they learned the exit was closed.
When they reached the exit, angry police officers were yelling at them saying the Expressway was closed and to turn around their vehicles.
Meanwhile, employees who were to leave for home by train from the Colombo Fort railway station or a bus from the Pettah bus stand were scratching their heads and waiting as there were no trains or buses operating out of the Western province.
One of the affected was a Colombo Port employee who was returning home after working 14 days at the port.
He said that after working for two weeks continuously, he reached Colombo fort bus stand to return to Galle where his family lived but because of the sudden travel restriction there were no buses available. Therefore, he had to reach Kalutara by bus and proceed to Galle by other means. He had a Ports Authority letter to be used as a pass to go through restricted areas.
Another resident of Medawachchi had just come out of the National Hospital after visiting his daughter when he was informed that he would not be able to leave the province.
“We have no objections to restricting people leaving the province as a measure to control the Covid situation, but what about the genuine cases who have to leave the province with no accommodation in the city,” one stranded person asked.