A special meeting was held at the State Administration, Management and Law and Order Ministry on Monday under the patronage of Minister Ranjith Maddumabandara, with the aim of finding an urgent solution to the traffic congestion in the Colombo district.
During the meeting, it was revealed that there is a dearth of around 350 traffic police officers. Minister Maddumabandara assured that he would direct the IGP to take immediate measures to address this issue.
Highlighting the locations most congested, the senior traffic police officers told the minister that around 200 tipper trucks enter the Colombo city daily and especially in the Orugodawatte area, Inguru Kade junction, Negombo road and Kiribathgoda on the Kandy road, traffic congestion is most severe due to containers.
Therefore, they sought the assistance of the RDA to resolve this issue.
When suggestions were sought to address the issue of the traffic congestion, the senior police officers suggested the renovation of the Wattala-Bopitiya road through Elakanda to ease the congestion on the Negombo road and the renovation of the Makola-Biyagama road to ease congestion on the Kandy road.
Accepting this proposal, the RDA Chairman vowed to expedite the development work on these roads.
The minister also questioned the police as to why the points reduction scheme is not implemented to make drivers more disciplined. It was disclosed that the main obstacle is the lack of computerised connectivity between the Police, Motor Traffic Department and the Courts. Therefore, the minister ordered his officers to take immediate measures to mobilise this system.
The police said they collected a sum of Rs. 278 million in fines from traffic violations last year in the Colombo city alone. The police had been able to credit Rs. 2,379 million to the consolidated fund through fines from island-wide traffic violations.
However, Minister Maddumabandara noted that collecting of fines was not the main intention but to take measures to create disciplined drivers and establish a methodical traffic system in the country. Hence, he ordered the relevant officials to implement the recommendations discussed at this meeting.
The minister also said he intends to utilise the assistance of the Moratuwa University in making the transport system more efficient.
The meeting was attended by Ministry Secretary Padmasiri Jayamanna, Chairman of the Road Development Authority Nihal Sooriyarachchi, officials of the Moratuwa University, DIGs and senior officers of the traffic police.
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