Traffic plan rides into jam

Kandy’s new traffic plan has brought mixed reactions with visitors to the city welcoming the move, but many residents expressing dissatisfaction.

The Mayor and the Kandy Municipal Council have been questioned whether they were serving the residents in Kandy or the visitors to the city. At an open discussion, a resident of Dodanwala, Victor Silva pointed out to the Mayor that residents of Aniwatta, George de Silva Mawatha and surrounding areas were unable to send their children to schools such as Kingswood and Seethadevei making use of the shortcuts through the Light House Church route due to the new traffic plan.

“They have to travel two or three kilometres more to reach the schools”, he pointed out. One of the main drawbacks in the scheme has been the lack of connecting roads between the two main roads which have been made one-way.

According to the new plan all vehicles entering Kandy city have to use the old road along Peradeniya Road while vehicles leaving the city have been directed to use the William Gopallawa Mawatha.

Mr. Silva pointed out to the Mayor that though the system was suitable for Colombo which has several link roads, it had not been effective in Kandy.

The Peradeniya Road and William Gopallawa Mawatha have only two link roads between a stretch of about four kilometres. One of the roads is located at Sudhuhumpola and the other at Mulgampola. The Mulgampola Road is narrow and the new plan has caused traffic jams.

However the Mayor L.B. Aluvihare said the proposed plan was not a new plan and would be changed accordingly.

He said the new plan was put into effect as the visitors including those coming to the hospital and courts and the VIPs were facing inconveniences.

Mr. Aluvihare said the decision was not taken by the Municipal Council on its own, but in consultation with the police and other relevant authorities and based on proposals by a special committee.

He said so far there had been no protests about the new traffic plan and only a few businessmen had opposed it.

He said that following requests from the traders along Peradeniya Road parallel parking on one side of the road had been allowed while a similar arrangement had been made on the D.S. Senanayake Street between 10.00 am. to 12 noon.