dailynews
 ONLINE


OTHER PUBLICATIONS


OTHER LINKS

Marriage Proposals
Classified
Government Gazette

 

Railway - a better option

Traffic congestion on the highways is always on the increase despite many alternative plans to alleviate this. At many times the alternative plans itself has been the contributory factor for further congestion of the traffic.

For example, Marine Drive developed for easing the congestion of Galle Road is causing the increase of congestion in the same road at two locations, namely Ramakrishna Road - Galle Road junction at Wellawattha and St. Alban's Place - Galle Road junction at Bambalapitiya due to traffic emerging from those bifurcations back again to Galle Road in the evening and morning respectively.

When that traffic enters the already packed Galle Road, again it aggravates the situation. This Marine Drive alternative completed only last year took some 20 years for its barely 5 km stretch because of the court cases filed against it.

During this twenty years demand of the highways also has increased many fold and the demand is always on the increase. sThe proposed highway to connect the High Level Road and Matara is also experiencing similar obstacles and possibly destining towards similar fate.

Another failed alternative as far as the traffic is considered is the Duplication Road though this road has paved way for development and improvement of the metropolitan thus contributing again to aggravate the traffic congestion.

In a smaller country like Sri Lanka where land demand is high and always in the increase, transposing, and even tunnelling to ease the congestion will be a failure mainly due to longer duration taken for laying those transpose.

Tunnel transport also requires enormous high capital investment firstly to rearrange the already existing underground facility systems and then to establish it will be another gargantuan monetary fund.

Instead the relevant authorities could shift their policy planning regarding transport and highways to a strict definite pattern that will stand all the pressure requirements of the generations (without copying the western worlds' business bullying).

As part of it, relevant authorities should consider replacing the existing outdated railway system from Putttalam to Matara, and the proposed railway to Kataragama by a 'fly over' or overhead lighter railway system as that in Malaysia and Singapore. Katunayake International Airport also shall be included in this system.

There will not be many problems or environmental concerns in building up the necessary infrastructure in parallel above the existing railway lines.

If that overhead lighter railway essentially with double tracks become operational, space of the replaced present system will pave way for a super, express highway from Katunayake to Matara through Colombo without obstacles of compensations and court cases and it will put an end to the accidents at level crossings which are on the increase.

Implementation of this plan within a short period of five years is paramount important and though may consume large initial capital, (much less than that for subways) it will be a booster for further economic growth and the beneficiaries will be present and future generations.

Sri Lankan government shall use the good will of the Malaysian government who are stupendously successful in searching and finding 'swadeshika' solutions to their technical woes in implementing this as a technically sound and economically viable project.

DR. S. MAHADEVA, Dehiwala.


Kiribath as solution to the current crisis

Draining of foreign exchange due to the higher prices of wheat flour and the inability of the paddy farmers to sell their crops at a reasonable price, seems to be a crisis faced by the country. Mixing of rice flour in preparing bread seems to be not so popular as expected.

Kiribath is delicious and nutritious food consumed at special occasions throughout the country. Sinhala New year is one such occasion. Some people prepare Kiribath on the first day of every month.

So extending this practice, if we can have Kiribath prepared with country rice on every Monday as breakfast to begin the week, it will be a good solution for many of our problems.

This should not be implemented by banning bread on Mondays but by being exemplary from the President to the farmer and the worker. If there is a sufficient demand, eating houses will come forward automatically, with Kiribath on every Monday morning. G. C., Ethul Kotte.


Mosquito menace

Recently a labourer of the Dehiwela MC came to spray my small garden. I showed him that there were no areas of stagnant water. Nevertheless he did a one-minute spray on some shrubs and boldly asked for money.

When I showed him the roadside drain which was highly silted and covered with vegetation and containing dirty stagnant water where mosquitoes breed, he replied that he has to spray gardens.

I could have given him a few rupees but then he will not spray the poor people's gardens where spraying is necessary. The general impression among residents is that these labourers regard the spray equipment as an additional source of income.

They spray the gardens of those who pay and then empty the balance contents somewhere. Years ago there was a system where the labourer had a card for each residence where we had to enter the date of spraying and sign thereon.

This had been done away with perhaps due to loopholes such as employees forging initials etc. This could be corrected by having one card with the labourer and one with the householder.

With duty consciousness at such low level the MC would never get rid of the mosquito menace. Earlier the drains were desilted monthly and roadside vegetation cleared. We have not seen such activity for years.

C. A., Nugegoda.


The pedestrians

Thank you for publishing the above article of 20th by J.S. Ameresekere.

I had a nasty experience on the 20th at Duplication Road. while I was crossing the road on the pedestrian crossing, a speeding three-wheeler almost knocked me down and as a result I injured my leg as well as the shock I got.

I have to thank God for saving me from any major injuries to me as well as to the driver. He accepted the fault but anyway they have to be educated on safe driving and also the traffic rules and regulations.

I quite agree with J.S. Ameresekere that most drivers do not obey the road rules and most are selfish. no courtesy is shown towards the pedestrians.

DANTON K. S. MANUEL, Colombo 3.


Footprint of Prophet Adam

I wish to point out to the following statement made in the Grade 7 'Sinhala Language and Literature' Text book published by M.D. Gunasena Publications page 56 under chapter no. 7.

The Muslims believe that the footprint found in Sri Pada was that of Prophet Muhammed.

This statement is totally false and the Muslims do not believe as such. Instead, the Muslims believe it as the footprint of Prophet Adam. This has been correctly mentioned in the Grade 7 English language text books.

Hence, we request the publishers to make arrangements to correct the mistake in the already published edition as well as in the forthcoming editions.

Moulavi M. J. M. Riyal, Negombo.

EMAIL |   PRINTABLE VIEW | FEEDBACK

www.lassanaflora.com
www.peaceinsrilanka.org
www.army.lk
www.news.lk
www.helpheroes.lk/

| News | Editorial | Financial | Features | Political | Security | Sport | World | Letters | Obituaries | News Feed |

Produced by Lake House Copyright � 2006 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.

Comments and suggestions to : Web Editor