Nugegoda in the fifties:

Transforming a village into a city

by Bernard W Dissanayake

After leaving Colombo city in 1952 I came to Gangodawila, Nugegoda to reside as a boarder. Nugegoda was a small town about seven miles from Colombo. It was on the Highlevel Road constructed in the late 1920s. The road linked Colombo with major plantation towns of Avissawella and Ratnapura.

Nugegoda’s growth profile as a major town by 1950 included the KV railway line, Highlevel Road linking Colombo and the flood prevention measures undertaken by the then colonial administration, relieving the low line town from the menacing floods during monsoons. These developments in the late colonial period before independence would have rendered Nugegoda to be a growing suburb out of a rural village in close proximity to the city.

Independence

With independence in 1948 and increasing economic and administrative activities centred on Colombo meant increased employment within the city and a rise of commuter population coming to reside in small towns such as Nugegoda to work in the city.

Thus by 1952, when I came to reside in Nugegoda it was already in transition of becoming a major suburb of Colombo serving the city. But Nugegoda retained some of its rural features, giving the impression that it was a village in transition.

These rural characteristics were typically expressed in the place names such as Jambugasmulle, Kandawatte, Kattiya-handiya, Gangodawila and so on.

It was reflected in the type of some houses people resided in and the narrow curving lanes and by- lanes that crisscrossed housing areas.

The town centre being located in a flat terrain, Nugegoda became a focal point linking a number of other towns close by such as Ambuldeniya, Kotte, Navinna, Maharagama, Kohuwala and Rajagiriya. One of the most striking features of the urban sprawl of Nugegoda was the up-coming of a number of girls schools in close proximity to the town centre most of which have become popular leading schools. Anula Vidyalaya, St Joseph’s Girls School, Girten School, St Johns Girls School (Samudra Devi Balika Vidyalaya) and Sujatha Vidyalaya, all being girls schools and the only Boys school was St. Johns boys school. Most of these schools are located close to Highlevel Road and it could very well be this locational advantage plus the availability of land at the time when the schools were established. Even in the early 1950s Nugegoda had a crop of girls schools which seemed to have added colour and character to Nugegoda. It has become a major education centre in the country.

Studies

Taking up residence in Gangodawila, Nugegoda to pursue my studies for London A/L examination at the Polytechnic, Wellawatta, in 1952 I experienced the life in a small town such as Nugegoda, as a student. By this time the small town had developed with all basic facilities and infrastructure to serve the resident population as well as the commuting population journeying through Nugegoda. The township as developed by the colonial administration then had a well- designed layout, pleasing to residents as well as visitors. The town centre had a play ground with free access with cultivated flowering trees adorning its hedges. It was sited in front of the Railway station. The shops were located well away from the playground and beyond the road that ran round the play ground but facing the open field. The play ground acted as green lung for the town and its residents.

The bus stand was sited on the western margin of the park and by its side was a sheltered market for fruits and vegetables. In addition there was a cinema and a post office in the vicinity. Nugegoda, therefore it had all the facilities for decent urban life and its transition to a middle class small town was well assured and therefore it attracted many migrants from other parts of the country.

Despite this change Nugegoda retained its tropical rural setting in housing areas located in somewhat hilly terrain which was overlooking the town centre. Geographically the town centre is located in a basin surrounded by low hilly areas giving town planners unique opportunities for innovative urban developments.

But, unfortunately much of that could have been done in the 70s had not been done, by the then Urban Council politicians and administrators. They allowed the town grow haphazardly and permitted the untamed urban crawl to take over the town with all types of buses creeping to destroy what was once a delightful town. Lack of planning and vision had destroyed the towns earlier charm and healthy outlook. During the height of war on terror in the North, Nugegoda escaped LTTE bombing by chance though it would have been a relatively easy target for terrorists to register a major explosion with high casualty impact.

With the elimination of the terrorists, comprehensively the present governments effort through the Ministry of Defence to re-develop the town and beautify its much neglected environment for many decades, is indeed commendable and the towns people appreciate the initiatives taken by the present Secretary of Defence to give the town the disposition of charm and beauty it well deserves. Nugegoda lost its open play ground in the town centre and the need to have a new one in the vicinity is more pressing today than any other time. Siting one close to the town centre is a mind boggling proposition for UDA but the need is felt most now.

Nostalgic

When I recall the days I spent in Nugegoda as a student, I get deeply nostalgic.

The whole social setting was friendly and supportive for students like us boarded in private houses and pursuing higher studies. I never faced any unpleasant experience and never had seen a brawl or fight on the road. There was more fun and play then and no conflicts and fights.

Students coming from remote villages and living away from parents during the most formative years of life, in private boarding houses were free to pursue their educational targets with no serious problems.

The society was enabling and fair and we were free to pursue our interests within norms.

During my long stay in Gangodawila, Nugegoda I enjoyed my cycling trips both within the area and outside going to the Colombo Public Library regularly every month via Nawala through Borella. In those days cycling was both a leisure activity and a popular mode of transport for students.

Most students used bicycles to reach universities, colleges and libraries and the roads and traffic were cyclist friendly and with no serious congestion in the street and roads.

There were hardly any problems for students cycling even though doubling (taking an extra person on the bar) and riding abreast were prohibited by law.

When we cycled in those days sighting a constable was considered a bad omen.

There were hardly any constables on the road then, but when seeing one our reaction as students riding cycles was fear driven. Such was the respect for law and order then.

This meant trouble free life. I have never come across a cyclist knocked down by a vehicle or involved in an accident during this period. Hence getting about on a bicycle in and around Nugegoda was indeed an exciting activity and when reflecting feel utterly nostalgic now.

One of my favourite runs within Nugegoda was down old Kesbawa road to town centre then on Railway avenue to Kandawatte uphill and downhill (free wheeling) to Nawala Road and returning to Nugegoda.

A few times I did the longer ride on Sunday mornings to Wellawatte beach by Southern railway track via Kirillopone to High Street, then hitting Galle road and turning down to the beach by a lane in front of the Savoy cinema.

This was a cycling trip I really enjoyed on Sunday early morning, to feel the cool breeze of the sea.

I have done this trip several times during my stay at Subadrarama Road, Gangodowila Nugegoda.

It was both invigorating and filled with joy, this trip taking little over two hours to returning to boarding place the Seneviratne house in Gangodawila.

As I go through the new cycle of life I am reminded of the delightful cycling rides I made from Nugegoda to Green path Public Library in Colombo, in the course of my studies done during my youthful years.

Then there were no photocopying facilities or mobile phones to assist or to divert our attention. We were on course to reach the targets set. That probably was the difference then and now.