Letter to the editor

It is all well and good that the “one way” road system has been introduced and implemented in and around Colombo. However, authorities have failed to find a solution to the ever-increasing traffic that hits the new Parliament drive on a daily basis from the Jayewardene Park all the way through to Castle Street along the dual carriage drive! It can take as much as 35 to 45 minutes just to clear one part of this drive which is from the “Speaker’s House” up to the Nawala turn-off (opposite the Welikade Police Station).

What is more irritating is that drivers/riders take the liberty of driving totally on the wrong side of the road out of the “white double line”(passing the Speaker’s House) up to the roundabout and then swing left into the right lane, pushing law-abiding vehicles even further behind.

If I may suggest, a simple solution in the morning is to allow on the dual carriage road, (in the opposite side) one lane of cars to go into Colombo and move into the old Rajagiriya Road (passing the Welikada Plaza Building and Food City) as was done some months ago. This would ease the traffic somewhat.

Once a commuter hits Model Farm Road, and takes the Kanatte route, or Castle Street, the traffic eases out.

I am sure the authorities are aware that many commuters from Pitakotte, Pannipitiya, Malabe, Battaramulla, Thalawathugoda, Jayewardenagama, Mirihana and Nugegoda all make use of this “one trunk road”.