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Southern Expressway (Pic: groundviews)
Sri Lankan motorists traveling on the country’s first ever expressway, are not following road rules, despite repeated advices to do so, complains Authorities.
R. A. D Kahatapitiya, the Acting Director of the Expressway operations and maintenance management told News360.lk, “The biggest problem is motorists exceeding the maximum speed limit of 100 KMPH”.
He said some motorists drive above the maximum speed limit, even reaching up to 150 KMPH.
Last week, Sri Lanka’s transport Minister publicly stated that he drove his vehicle at a speed of 180 KMPH on the Southern bound expressway.
A Police Official who is on duty at the Expressway said, still they have not acted on vehicles which go beyond the specified 100 KMPH.
“Our officer’s are being currently trained on how to use speed guns” he added.
Acting Director of the Expressway operations and maintenance management, Kahatapitiya said, apart from exceeding speed limits, motorists are also not adhering to other specified road rules.
He said they also don’t drive or move their vehicles into specified lanes at appropriate points.
Sri Lanka’s first ever expressway was opened last week by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Since then, Kahatapitiya says nearly 5000 vehicles travels up and down on the road, each day.
According to him, the revenue of the expressway runs up to Rs. 1 to 1.5 million per day.
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The Acting Director of the Expressway operations had said:
“The biggest problem is motorists exceeding the maximum speed limit of 100 KMPH”.
The irony of the issue is the first to violate this rule was the minister of transport Welgama himself who publicly boasted “Mama 180 ta peguwa, denunewath nehe” I touched 180 Kmph and did not fee it. as if he had achieved something others could never. (Godayata magic) When these criminal law makers are the ones who break the law, how do you expect ordinary citizens to follow the rules? The wonder of Asia no doubt.
It is said the southern express way was “handed over to the people” (n Sinhala “Janathaa eyethiyata pathkiriima” ) by President Mahinda Rajapakse. I wonder who’s property was it before handing over?? Was it the property of Rajapakse family? Most people get carried away by these deceiving slogans by corrupt politicians.
Majority of Sri Lankans do not know the meaning of a high way..educated and uneducated alike. Majority of Sri Lankans are not disciplined..educated and uneducated alike. I have never seen a country with people more arrogant (ignorant,stupid…) than Sri Lankans.
Two days ago one of my nieces phoned and said that they traveled in the southern high way. My father drove his “Sahara” at 180 km/h. He flashed his lights and honked to those blocking his way in the middle of the road travelling at 100 km/h. So what’s the speed limit? I asked. Father said the minimum is 100! There’s no maximum. Like our minister that stupid did not understand the simple road sign.
In Australia, where I live, the quiet sub urban street in front of my house is wider and better than the high way in Sri Lanka. The speed limit is 50km/h! In School hours 40 km/h! ( People never go 1 km/h beyond the speed limit, not because of the police ticket..because they are disciplined).
In highways the speed limits are 80 and 100 according to the road and traffic condition.. Only in interstate highways the speed limit is 110. The vehicles travelling in these roads are in extremely good condition. They are regularly inspected and certified.
Speed cameras are installed along the roads and the offenders get the speeding tickets by post (and it’s not a small sum! +demerit points finally leading to the cancellation of license).
People start to apply for the driving license at the age of 17. After passing the computer based knowledge test and practical test they get an L license (can drive with someone with full license). After a period of complain free driving they receive the P license (can drive alone but with some restrictions). It takes about two years to get the full license.
I’m writing this for the law and policy makers in Sri Lanka to see.
You mean your father who drove his Sahara at 180km/h is a stupid?
Yes, There are some good points in Channa’s Comments for the Road users (Drivers who ever he/she can be ) to take into account and follow for the safety of other discipline Drivers, and also for the Law makers to take into considerations when introducing more highways and flyovers in Sri Lanka, for the safe driving and protect the valuable lives of other innocent discipline Road users from the so called Hi-Class Indisciplined Maga Maruwaas.
You all have points, I agree with Channa to an extent. Our guys are way too arrogant. Now I have been on the highways 5 times. 1st time it was scary but every time i went i felt that discipline was further deteriorating. Ex: last week there were 4 incidents really shocked and annoyed me.
1. There was a Trooper in front and i was behind him for almost 40kms, he never moved off the fast lane. Then later with sheer frustration we over took the jeep. We then noticed it was minister kind of dressed man on the phone going with his driver.
2. There was another Jeep in front and he suddenly cornered his jeep to the side and not even 1sec he opened the door to check his tires.. i got goose bumps. We coule have just taken the whole door off his vehicle..
3. This is the most bizarre one i saw. There was a white coaster which was travelling and at the 82 mile post he virtually stopped in the middle of the highway to drop off one guy. Now tell me guys how insane can this be?
4. the 1969 hotline, from 82 mile post to Pinnaduwa we just couldn’t get through. How on earth can we make a complain. Anyway, we informed the cops at the Pinnaduwa gates, hopefully they took some action..
I think 100Kms can be slowly increased to 120KMPH which is a decent speed on a highway. Anything above 140kms should be strictly dealt with.