December 20, 2007 - The Tsunami of 2004 damaged approximately 1,200 kms of roads along coastal Southern Sri Lanka. The socioeconomic impact of damaged roads was heavy as the majority of the affected people were economically vulnerable.
The World Bank provided US$33 million (40% percent in grant and 60% in credit) for rehabilitation of 114 kms of the A2 coastal road from Kalutara to Matara.
The Kalutara to Matara coastal road serves many towns along a very picturesque route with lush greenery and wide beaches which invariably contributes to the image of Sri Lanka as the tropical island.
The proximity to the sea, however, resulted in severe damage when the tsunami struck. Immediately after the tsunami, most road sections were unusable, and there was widespread destruction where the sea had washed it away. Today there is very little of the tsunami devastation evident: the ride is smooth, weaving in and out of little market towns while vehicles ply the route regularly.
This coastal road is an important road, linking the capital to other port cities. The original goal of this “build the road back better” was to reduce travel time from place to place, enabling faster transport of goods to markets.
Beneficiary: Fisherman’s Catch
Janakala, Ranjith Anurasiri, and Hemasiri, are drivers who transport fish from the Beruwala Fisheries harbor to Colombo. All agreed in unison that improvement to the road surface is remarkable, and the ride now is smooth. “Yes, the improvement in the road surface has reduced the vehicle operating costs as we use less fuel and there is less wear and tear on the tires,” said Anurasiri.
Beneficiary: Flower Seller at Kandavihare
Kandevihare literally means the shrine on the hill and is a much venerated ancient temple situated just outside the main town of Alutgama. The temple is a favorite destination of many tourists as well as Sri Lankans. Many villagers have stalls in the temple grounds, and the income generated is often their main and only livelihood. The coastal road rehabilitation project undertook to repair and improve the road leading to the Kandevihare Temple and parking area which were damaged by the tsunami.
“After the tsunami there was a drop in the number of people visiting this temple, and the area in front of the temple used to get flooded constantly,” said Chandra, who has been selling flowers to worshippers for over 18 years. She is happy with the improvements to the resurfaced market area and the road leading to the temple.
Photos by Chulie De Silva, External Affairs Officer, Small Grants Program Coordinator of the World Bank, Sri Lanka.
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