By Santhush Fernando
Residents of De Soysa Road, Moratuwa, face much hardships due to ad hoc road construction and proposed widening done in violation of Highways Ministry decisions and they plan to challenge this in courts this week.

De Soysa Road Aggrieved Taxpayers’ Association President Athula Fernando told The Nation that, to date, no road construction or widening had been conducted by the Road Development Authority (RDA) under a coherent or consistent plan and as such, taxpayers had to bear the brunt of haphazard roadwork.

Fernando noted that, initially, the RDA, in line with the policy of the Highways Ministry and local authorities, decided to widen De Soysa Road by 40 feet, which was an alternate longer route from Piliyandala to Galle Road.

“We don’t oppose road construction and in fact, urge the government to expedite De Soysa Road development work, but what we object is to the arbitrary decision of widening the road up to 50 feet,” Fernando said.

“Since the most congested section of the road – Moratumulla Junction, was widened to 40 feet in 1990, it acts as a bottleneck. It makes no sense to widen the road by 50 feet in lesser-congested sections. Since residents were informed that it will be widened only by 40 feet, they had built their residential and business premises accordingly,” he said.

“Furthermore, the main access road to Galle Road from Piliyandala is Bandaranaike Mawatha (Campus Road), which is the shortest route available.”

Fernando also added that then Foreign Minister Tyrone Fernando and present Lands Minister Jeevan Kumaratunga agreed with the 40 feet standard. Furthermore, in 1997, the Highways Minister, after considering an appeal, decided that the land acquisition limit be set at 13.4 metres. (43.5 feet)

“In a letter sent by the Director-Engineering Services, RDA, to us, they have agreed not to widen the road over 43.5 feet. As per unanimous resolution bearing no 6(4), passed by the Moratuwa Municipal Council on December 17, 1996, the limit was set at 40 feet.”

The final decision on the issue was conveyed to then Highways Minister Tilak Marapana by letter dated July 25, 2002, by the RDA Chairman, stating that “acquisition papers were prepared for a width of 14 metres (46 feet).”

Fernando said that as the association had written to all the relevant authorities including President Mahinda Rajapaksa, but had not even received an acknowledgement. “Now we have no option but to resort to legal action and will file action this week,” he stated.

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