The Hon. (Dr.) Prasanna Gunasena - Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways

¶ 01 Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker.

¶ 02 During this debate on two important regulations under the Motor Traffic Act relating to road safety, I wish to place several points on record.

¶ 03 Road accidents claim many lives and injure large numbers, often including the breadwinner of a family. We believe that with organized interventions these accidents can be prevented and every life protected.

¶ 04 After reviewing statistics over recent years, we can discern trends. Hon. Deputy Speaker, in 2024 there were 2,403 fatal road accidents reported. In 2025, this increased to 2,583, an increase of 180 fatal accidents. There were 7,157 grievous injury accidents in 2024; in 2025 this was reduced by 1,881 to 5,276. Minor injury cases reported were 9,996 in 2024 and increased by 71 to 10,067 in 2025. Property-damage-only accidents totaled 5,743 in 2024 and decreased by about 1,516 to 4,227 in 2025. The aggregate of fatal, grievous, minor injury and property-damage-only accidents was 25,299 in 2024, reducing to 22,153 in 2025. However, we cannot treat this reduction as satisfactory because fatal accidents increased.

¶ 05 Looking at which road users are most affected in fatal crashes: pedestrians and motorcyclists predominate. In 2024, out of 2,521 fatalities, 815 were pedestrians and 781 motorcyclists. In 2025, 720 pedestrians and 713 motorcyclists were killed. Therefore, our planning must prioritize pedestrians and motorcyclists.

¶ 06 We are sensitive to highway accidents. But there is another area that receives less attention: accidents involving trains. Media coverage often focuses on elephants struck by trains, but less on human fatalities. Data show that deaths involving trains were 208 in 2021; 414 in 2022; 402 in 2023; 407 in 2024; and 374 in 2025. Vehicle-train collisions reported were 61 (2021), 78 (2022), 74 (2023), 66 (2024) and 75 (2025). Elephant-train collisions in 2024 caused 8 elephant deaths and 10 injuries (total 18). In 2025, 14 elephants died and 8 were injured. The Ministry is intervening to mitigate these.

¶ 07 Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, as Minister, has directly engaged in every road safety meeting. He has shown strong commitment to this sector.

¶ 08 In 2025 we allocated funds for several fronts: strengthening laws for pedestrians and drivers and enforcing them via Police with deterrent fines; improving vehicle standards; and crucially, improving road infrastructure quality. Under the Road Development Authority (RDA) vote for infrastructure and road safety, we funded: - Chevron signs at sharp bends—especially in hill country districts such as Badulla, Nuwara Eliya, and Kandy—to provide advance visual cues. - W-Beam crash barriers to contain vehicles at curves. - Side obstacle boards, pedestrian fencing, and flexible guide posts.

¶ 09 In 2025, installations were carried out in areas including Pelmadulla, Embilipitiya, Badulla, Hambantota, Kandy, Nalanda, Nuwara Eliya, Avissawella and Gampaha, with an expenditure of Rs. 140.084 million. This is to reduce accidents attributable to road system deficiencies.

¶ 10 For 2026, allocations include: - Safety improvement in high pedestrian areas (school zones, hospital zones, townships, industrial zones) at 15 locations: Rs. 362 million. - Safety improvements at hazardous locations: pedestrian fencing for visibility control (11 sites), W-Beam barriers (19 sites), chevron signs (16 sites), and pedestrian standing-area upgrades: Rs. 149.839 million. - Supply and installation of safety apparatus—flexible bollards, advanced warning blinkers, flexible guide posts, pedestrian illumination, flexible boards, etc.—Rs. 87.740 million.

¶ 11 Total allocation for road safety and traffic management in 2026: Rs. 750 million, with detailed timelines and completion dates prepared.

¶ 12 In 2026 we will also install and upgrade traffic light systems at 14 locations. For example, a TLS at Angoda Junction (B435/B231/Siri Sumana Mawatha). The allocation is Rs. 540 million. While we proceed with regulations to foster disciplined driving, we are simultaneously upgrading infrastructure.

¶ 13 Regarding 2025 capital expenditure, the Opposition alleged that funds were not spent on the ground. Now that the year has ended, we can state actuals. In the transport division (excluding amounts under the Indian Credit Line which are outside our control), we spent 60.59 percent. National Transport Commission achieved 89.47 percent financial progress; SLTB 91.918 percent; Department of Motor Traffic 62.758 percent. Sri Lanka Railways, excluding the Indian Credit Line, achieved 79.32 percent. Both financial and physical progress were achieved.

¶ 14 In the RDA highway sector, financial progress was 93 percent—the highest capital utilization in the history of the RDA. Of the Rs. 374.509 billion allocated for 2025, Rs. 347.713 billion was spent (93 percent). Notably, the 2025 Budget was passed in February, finalized by March 31; then we had the New Year period and an election, and December was disrupted by the “Ditva” cyclone. We accomplished this in roughly six to seven working months. We are confident that in 2026 we can achieve even more.

¶ 15 Post-disaster normalization: We worked to rapidly restore rail infrastructure. Services were resumed as follows: - Colombo–Rambukkana: service commenced by 2025-12-10. - Nawalapitiya–Hatton: resumed in the festive month to facilitate students’ travel, as roads were damaged and buses not running. - Ambewela–Badulla: resumed in December 2025. - Northern Line: Polgahawela to Medawachchiya restored by 2025-12-10; Medawachchiya to Kankesanthurai by 2025-12-25. - Batticaloa Line: Maho to Batticaloa from 2025-12-25. - Trincomalee Line: Gal Oya to Trincomalee from 2025-12-20. - Puttalam Line: Ragama to Nattandiya from 2025-12-14; Nattandiya to Chilaw from 2026-01-01. - Mannar Line: Medawachchiya to Talaimannar—works underway. - A train stranded near Matale was extracted after temporary repairs via Wattegama; permanent restoration is being pursued.

¶ 16 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I will conclude. The Ministry and the RDA undertook their responsibilities during the disaster, as did our political organization. Personally, I did not attend my seat in this Chamber for about a week while engaged on the ground. Our MPs assumed duties and worked collectively. That teamwork enabled a rapid exit from the disaster situation. We are confident that in 2026 and the coming years, with collective responsibility and the allocated funds, we can speedily restore all damaged road systems and related infrastructure.

¶ 17 Thank you for the time granted.