Tomorrow’s railroad disrupts today’s transport on Ratmale-Wehella-Dikwella Road

Negotiating the pot holes!​

The spot where the railway line intersects the road​

Waiting for the buses which never turned up today

Text and pix by P.D. De Silva

Buses operating on route No. 548 on the Matara-Dikwella (via Wehella) route, have been compelled to avoid plying between Ratmale and Dikwella due to the deplorable state of the road. They use the Ratmale-Hunnadeniya road instead, forcing the people living along this 5 km stretch to either walk or ride to Ratmale or Dikwella to travel beyond. They are further inconvenienced as even three wheel drivers refuse hires on this road.

This road has been damaged between Kekanadura and Dikwella due to the constant movement of heavy vehicles engaged in the construction of the Matara-Beliatta railway extension.

Office workers and students who usually travel by bus were compelled to either walk or use a bicycle or motorcycle to get to Ratmale or Dikwella on Wednesday. Walking along this stretch is no easy task on rainy days because of the mud and crater like water logged potholes and the dust when it is dry. 

The people of the area together with the private bus owners have protested even by disrupting the movement of traffic demanding for the immediate repair of this road on more than one occasion and these protests were subsequently called off when the officials of the Southern Province Road Development Authority (SPRDA) promised to carry out immediate repair each time. It seems that these promises were never fulfilled. 

“The politicians and government authorities simply don’t care about us. We have to survive today to enjoy the benefits of the railway,” lamented a disgruntled office worker trekking to Dikwella on Wednesday.