If traffic congestion continues to build up at its current rate, Colombo could come to a halt and tens of thousands of residents, workers and visitors would be stuck for hours in the middle of the city’s streets.
“Our commercial hub will become dysfunctional, and the people will become dysfunctional,” warns transport and logistics expert Amal Kumarage.
“People in Colombo are spending a lot more time on the road these days, and burning up a lot more fuel. We are contributing daily to the city’s environment problem. Immediate action is vital. We have to control the number of vehicles on the roads. Everyone should get involved in bringing down the number of vehicles on the roads.”
Amal Kumarage is a senior professor with the Department of Transport and Logistics Management at the University of Moratuwa. He says that since 2007 the number of vehicle on the roads has doubled to three million, while roads are getting narrower. Over the past five years, the average city road width has shrunk to 33 metres (100 feet) from 60 metres (190 feet).
Simultaneously, the demand for road space in Colombo city is increasing, Prof. Kumarage pointed out. An estimated 225,000 vehicles enter the city every day; ten years ago the daily volume was 150,000 vehicles. There are three million vehicles in Sri Lanka, and by 2030 the figure would have gone up to 7.8 million units, he said.
“With that many vehicles, road systems in and around Colombo will reach gridlock point during peak hours. Vehicles and fuel, which are now costing us Rs.50 billion, will go up five- and six-fold.”
Professor Kumarage believes that setting limits on expenditure is part of the solution. There should be a ceiling on spending on transport and housing and construction, and public and private transport should be balanced. “Transportation constitutes a major part of national expenditure – 10 per cent of our resources,” he said.
To balance public and private transport, motor vehicle usage would have to be monitored and controlled. “The state may have to introduce electronic road pricing and enhance public transport. Our leaders will have to impress on the public the vital need to reduce traffic congestion.”
If container drivers travelled only at night, daytime road congestion would be greatly eased, according to Senior Superintendent of Police K. Arasaratnam. “We are looking at setting rules to permit container drivers to carry their goods only late in the night,” the Director Traffic Administration and Road Safety told the Sunday Times.
Meanwhile, unhappy commuters remain stuck for hours in thick traffic.
Congestion during the peak morning and evening hours has reached unacceptable levels, says state employee H. N. B. Nilusha, who works in Bambalapitiya. “I have lost count of the number of times I have been late to work because I was stuck in traffic,” he said.
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| Kanatte, Borelle junction near Devi Balika. Pix by Hasitha Kulasekera |
Narahenpita student Chathuranga Udayamana blames traffic jams for the number of times he has missed school and tuition classes.
Bus driver W. A. Senaka Perera travels daily between Diyawannagama and Borella. “Ninety-nine per cent of cars, three-wheelers and bicycles do not use the roads properly,” he said. “They keep getting out of line and using the wrong lanes,” he said. “And most female drivers drive in the wrong lane. Also, women are usually slow drivers, and they slow down traffic and cause jams. Journeys that once took half an hour now take at least one hour.”
Dehiwela resident P. Gobinath leaves home half an hour earlier than he did a year ago. “If I don’t, I’ll be late for work and all my appointments,” he said.
Concerned about pedestrian safety, Wattala resident A. Nayanthi believes that the city should have more flyovers. |
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