The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake

¶ 01 Hon. Member, first, I will give the answer relevant to this question. Thereafter I will offer a clarification.

¶ 02 (a) (i) Not within the purview of the Road Development Authority (RDA). It comes under the Provincial Road Development Authority of the Eastern Provincial Council. (ii) Not within the purview of the RDA. It comes under the Provincial Road Development Authority of the Eastern Provincial Council. (iii) Not within the purview of the RDA. It comes under the Provincial Road Development Authority of the Eastern Provincial Council.

¶ 03 (b) (i) Not within the purview of the RDA. It comes under the Provincial Road Development Authority of the Eastern Provincial Council. (ii) Not within the purview of the RDA. It comes under the Provincial Road Development Authority of the Eastern Provincial Council. (iii) Not within the purview of the RDA. It comes under the Provincial Road Development Authority of the Eastern Provincial Council.

¶ 04 (c) (i) Not within the purview of the RDA. It comes under the Provincial Road Development Authority of the Eastern Provincial Council. (ii) The proposed Punnakkuda–Kaluwankeni Bridge is not within the purview of the RDA. It comes under the Provincial Road Development Authority of the Eastern Provincial Council.

¶ 05 (d) Not applicable.

¶ 06 Hon. Member, although the question you raised is not within my Ministry’s purview, as it affects the people of that area and seems important, I am prepared to place some facts before you. Under (a)(i) you asked about the Mandur–Kurumanweli Bridge. In good faith, as an answer: yes, currently a Mandur ferry service operates to cross a lagoon of about 800 metres width at that location. The reasons for not constructing a new bridge are that it is not within the RDA’s purview and that a new bridge would cost about Rs. 9 billion.

¶ 07 Next, regarding the Ambilanthurai–Kurukkal Madam Bridge connecting Manmunai South-West, Manmunai South, and Eruvilpattu: that is to cross a waterway about 900 metres wide, requiring about Rs. 10 billion. That too is not within the RDA’s purview.

¶ 08 Next, you proposed the Thigilivettei–Sandiweli Bridge (Koralepattu South DSD) and the Punnakkuda–Kaluwankeni Bridge (Eravur DSD). Those would cross a waterway about 250 metres wide and cost about Rs. 2 billion. Those are also not within the RDA’s purview.

¶ 09 Hon. Speaker, in 2012 an institution conducted a detailed feasibility study for a bridge across the Batticaloa Lagoon. They mapped all the locations you proposed and, considering both available funding and public need, they have identified two bridges, for which works have been initiated. For your benefit I will provide that map. I table it now.

¶ 10 This is not within my purview; I provided these clarifications for your understanding.

¶ 11 (Placed in the Library.)