Sri Lanka will require an estimated 190 billion rupees to reconstruct key roads and bridges destroyed by Cyclone Ditwah, according to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. He revealed that preliminary assessments by the Road Development Authority (RDA) show extensive nationwide damage requiring urgent investment.
Speaking at a meeting with officials in Nuwara Eliya, President Dissanayake said that while about 40 billion rupees can be reallocated from existing funds, the government must source an additional 150 billion rupees to complete the reconstruction effort. “We can provide that,” he assured, highlighting the government’s commitment to restoring connectivity across the country.
In the Nuwara Eliya District alone, 100 million rupees has been identified for immediate repairs, 120 million rupees to construct a Bailey Bridge, and 14 billion rupees for major repairs to severely damaged roads, culverts, and retaining walls. Officials noted that around 800 damaged roads in the region fall outside the jurisdiction of the national or provincial road authorities, complicating the restoration process.
Several estate roads in the district remain under the ownership of private companies rather than the state. The President proposed that roads serving key townships should be taken over by provincial or local authorities to ensure proper maintenance going forward, emphasizing that crucial public infrastructure cannot remain unmanaged or neglected in the wake of repeated climate disasters.
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