Manmunai Bridge, a boon to Batticaloa and its environs

By P. Krishnaswamy in Batticaloa and Sivam Packianathan, Batticaloa Spl. Cor.

The 210 meter-long Manmunai Bridge that was declared open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on April 19 stands across the Batticaloa lagoon connecting the Elavankarai and Paduwankarai regions that remained virtually separated for centuries, with access available from one region to the other, only through the hazardous ferry service that was in existence for many decades.

An outing in the evenings

A board erected near the bridge displaying boat victims of Manmunaithurai

Easy crossing for pedestrians

Government Agent Ms. P.S.M. Charles

Priest of Thanthondeeswarar temple in Kokkadicholai

Nesammah

S.Vijaya Praba

Uththaman

People have bitter memories of the frequent incidents where the ferry had overturned and sunk due to either storms, overcrowding or other reasons, taking their toll of lives, men, women and children. We saw banners with pictures of men and women, recently died in such incidents, displayed in several spots on either side of the road before the entrance to the bridge which were put up by the local people as a mark of gratitude to the Government for saving them from any such future mishaps.

In the evenings it is a picturesque sight with the bridge atop the vast expanse of the green water, surrounded by mangroves and lush vegetation on all sides and the setting sun producing the wonder of multi-colours in sky. Since the opening of the bridge families throng there in their hundreds. It resembles the Galle Face on holidays with groups of people happily chatting, snacking or walking across the bridge, enjoying the bliss.

During an interview with the Sunday Observer, Batticaloa Government Agent Ms. P. S.M. Charles said that the construction of the bridge under the President's initiative and its opening marks a new era in the history of the district. People of Paduwankarai which is a rural region had encountered multifarious ordeals and problems due to want of proper transport facilities. All medical institutions, including the Government hospital, schools and main marketing centres are located in the Eluwankarai, which is basically an urban region. The 'life and death' ferry transport had impeded them from in taking advantage of the many services and facilities available in the other region. Now that the bridge has linked the two regions with regular transport services operating at all times of the day, the district will go in union towards achieving its development goals, she said.

A Hindu priest of the historically-famed, Thanthondreeswarar Shiva temple in the vicinity of the bridge and others to whom we talked said that they were jubilant over the opening up of the bridge which has helped them in many ways. They expressed extreme gratitude to President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Government.

S.Vijaya Praba from Paduwankarai and a O/L student at the Vivekananda Vidyalayam, Batticaloa said that reaching school on time using the the ferry service remained an everyday problem to her and other students, attending schools in Batticaloa. On some days they miss classes and on other days they do not even make it to school at all because the ferry service is either irregular, overcrowded or suspended due to various reasons. When the ferry boat is overcrowded, which is a frequent occurrence, the boat sways to one side and they fear that it would capsize. To her knowledge about 20 people had died in such incidents in the recent past, she said. All that trauma is no more now and they are able to concentrate on their studies, she said. They are getting to school on time because there are regular and uninterrupted bus services. They are happy because this is a boon which will help them to follow classes regularly contributing towards their educational betterment, she said.

Vijayaletchumy from Arayampathi, a middle-aged woman waiting at the roadside bus halt in Paduwankarai area to board the bus to Batticaloa said she rarely travelled before the bridge was opened because she knows the risks of travelling by the ferry-boat. She is a mother of seven children and all of them travelled only when it was absolutely necessary. But now that the bridge has been opened she travels frequently and so do her family members, she said. She and the people of her village are happy over this, she said. Nesammah, another elderly woman, of the same village also expressed similar views. She said that about six bus services are now operating through her village .

S.Ponnambalam, a middle-aged person from Mudalaikuda,a father of four said that they had encountered untold hardship because of the transport problem. They witnessed many tragic incidents where the boat toppled and people drowned. Luckily his family members were spared and they are now happy, he said.

Uththaman, also a middle-aged person from Mudalaikudah village said that he is a father of four girls and because of the transport problem they had rented out a house in Batticaloa for the children to attend schools. They have bitter experiences of the hazardous ferry-boat journey. The people of his village had faced problems in taking any seriously ill person or pregnant woman to the hospital. Now that the bridge and bus transport has been provided, they can get to Batticaloa in a matter of ten or fifteen minutes whereas with the ferryboat service there was uncertainty and many hours of waiting , he said. When seriously-ill patients from their village get admitted to the Batticaloa government hospital, their family members were able to visit them only once during the afternoon visiting hours because of the delay in getting to the hospital using the ferry-boat service. But now they are able to get to the hospital even in the morning because enough bus services are operating, Uththaman said.

There was a huge crowd, more than 15,000 people, who had gathered to witness the inauguration of the bridge by President Rajapaksa.

This was many times more than the anticipated number because people in the area normally did not attend such inaugurations in such huge numbers, Uththaman said adding that this indicated the great enthusiasm and appreciation among the people.

The High priest of the Thanthondeeswarar Temple in Kokkadicholai said that he has been the priest in the historical temple for nearly 45 years. The people of the area encountered many ordeals and difficulties before the opening of the Manmunai bridge. Working members doing jobs in Batticaloa , children attending schools, sick persons needing medical care and others in need of attending to urgent matters were not able to go on time.

They were held up for many hours because the ferry service was uncertain and unreliable. Now the whole phenomenon has changed completely. They are able to go on time and return home early to be with their families. After the inauguration of the Manmunai bridge and the availability of transport services at all times, the number of pilgrims coming to the temple has increased manifold. Not only Hindus but people belonging to other religions and faiths are also coming to get the blessings of God Thanthondeeswara, the priest said.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Government have paved the way for people of the Eluwankarai and Paduwankarai to unite and work for their mutual benefit, he said adding that the people are indebted to him for doing that. According to history, the temple was built over 3000 years ago and Tamil Princes and Princesses from Southern India had periodically undertaken rehabilitation work. Even now the temple functions and 'poojas' are conducted under the concepts and regulations laid down by them, he said. According to inscriptions in the temple, when a Dutch military chief tried to demolish the temple after desecrating the statues enshrined there, a stone-sculptured cow in sitting position in front of the presiding deity had miraculously come alive to growl at the military chief, thus saving the temple from demolition, the priest said.