In the Puttalam district of northwestern Sri Lanka, a still-functioning viaduct had been demolished to make way for a larger one as part of a major public works scheme. The country’s crisis left the bridge half-finished and the workers, without pay, emigrated to the Middle East. After almost two years of hardship, now the inhabitants (mostly elderly) are building a walkway on their own, mobilizing local resources and manpower.
Colombo () – The inhabitants of the Puttalam district – in the northwestern province of Sri Lanka – were forced to build a temporary bridge at their own expense and by providing their own labor, because the new Anamaduwa-Meegoda viaduct had been left behind half finished. Although the old bridge was in good condition, it had been demolished anyway to be replaced by a wider, more modern structure, as part of an intervention program launched in 2020 by the government led by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Karunasena Athukorala (68 years old), Tilakasiri Hewapatabendige (70 years old) and Siripala Punchihewa (74 years old) live in Puttalam district and counted how the old bridge was still working, although the passage of large vehicles, such as trucks, was difficult. In 2021, the works had begun with the approval of the same inhabitants who, despite the high cost of the work, thought that a new viaduct would facilitate their movements within the Puttalam district. A total of 15 villages would have benefited from it. The old bridge could have been used until the new one was built, but since there is not enough land in this area to support both spans, it was demolished. Meanwhile, an alternative street was opened.
According to the villagers, “residents are forced to travel tortuous routes to reach their destination. During the rainy season, you have to cross a river to get to the next village or to go to the city. The students, the pregnant women, the elderly and the disabled are the most affected and some young people from the villages risk their lives to transport them to the other side.When someone gets sick, the whole village gathers to carry him in a cloth tied to two bamboo poles, and walk about eight kilometers to the hospital. It’s a nightmare,” they said.
According to former district secretary Manusha Senanayake, a Puttalam resident, “before the new facility was completed, the contractor, saying he had not yet been paid, dispatched the workers, who in the meantime left for the Middle East, a most lucrative country. Currently there are no funds for materials or labor.”
The residents, who have been suffering from the inconvenience for almost two years, have decided to build a temporary bridge through which pedestrians, bicycles and motorcycles can pass. They did it by financing themselves and doing the work themselves. Several village ironmongers provided construction materials. But it is mostly the villagers, including the elderly, who took over the abandoned work to work with their own hands on the construction of this bridge. “As many young people from the area work in Colombo, they only help in the works on weekends. Therefore, finishing this bridge could take a long time,” said engineer Chaminda Tennakoon, who is supervising the works.
