Terrible state of lawyers’ office complex and apathy of UDA

I have written many letters to the Urban Development Authority dated 05/09/2007, 01/09/2007, 07/10/2020 in respect of the lawyers’ office complex at 51/59 Dias Place, Goonesinghepura, Colombo 12 and regret that no steps have been taken to remedy our grievances.

We have been occupants of this complex for the last 20-30 years.

As lawyers we are compelled to face a sad situation with various nefarious activities at these premises causing hindrance to our day-to-day professional duties towards our clients.

I am ashamed to state that the corridor of this complex is used by strangers, unauthorized persons, prostitutes, during all hours causing hindrance and annoyance to flat dwellers and their families with small children who are unable to air their grievances to any persons or authority out of fear. During the day, there are men and women who bring their mattress, pillow and bed sheets to sleep on the corridor. This is the time when clients come to meet the lawyers. They feel embarrassed to walk into the offices of the lawyers.

These people have meals in the day time as well as at night and leave the remnants of the food parcels on the corridor, leaving us to clean our doorsteps.

Even vendors on push cycles carry on their business selling bangles and fancy items in the corridor through which we enter daily to the office rooms. The adjoining drain of the complex smells of urine -obviously made use of by these unauthorized occupants.

I have this week lodged a complaint with the Keselwatta Police who advised me to take action against the UDA for not providing security to the premises of which they are the sole authority and owner.

Female attorneys-at-law feel bad to walk in daily given all these activities and the state of the premises.

I am writing this letter as a final resort hoping for early relief for lawyers who are occupying office rooms in this complex.