Revert to earlier traffic system, say most travellers

Pulse of the People by Ananda Kannangara

The Sunday Observer last week interviewed people from all walks of life on the new traffic system, introduced by the Colombo Traffic Police to ease congestion in the city. Here are their views.

A 32-year-old trishaw driver of Borella, K. Gamini said the new traffic system caused inconvenience and called upon the authorities to revert to the former system.

"We have to run additional kilometres to reach our destinations due to the one way scheme and this has affected our daily income," he said.

A Bank Manager, Gemunu Wijesiri said, "I heard that a team of officials had recently conducted a survey on the new traffic system and approved it.

"I am sure they would have done this study during the off peak hours for if they had done it during peak hours on a week day, they would have not endorsed it," he said.

Fifteen-year-old Lahiru Jayasinghe of Godagama said he was a student of Royal College, Colombo and more often than not there was a delay in his reaching home, since it took him nearly half an hour more to come to Borella from Reid Avenue due to the new system.

Gayantha Peiris of Dehiwala said the new system will not affect people who normally travel in their own vehicles.

"But we, who travel by public transport have to walk a long distance sometimes with children, therefore it would be better to go back to the old system," he said.

Prema Liyanaarachchi, who runs a school van for schoolchildren from Kottawa said she was hopeful that the present traffic system would be changed, like in Kandy.

A mother of three, Nimanthi Ranawaka said, "I am a resident of Kiribathgoda and my two sons are studying at Thurstan College, Colombo". "Unlike earlier now my sons have to get off at the bus stop which is opposite the Arts Faculty of the Colombo University and have to walk a long distance to school which was on the other side," she said. She said that it was very difficult to walk a long distance due to a large volume of vehicles on the road at that time.

A 21-year old University student, Tamara Kumuduni called upon the officials to revert to the old traffic system for the convenience of schoolchildren, public servants and also the business community.

S. A. Ananda of Malabe welcomed the new traffic system since it will help him to come to his workplace conveniently without any delay.

Piyasiri Samararatne, who runs a grocery shop and owns a restaurant opposite Thurstan College, Colombo said that due to the one way traffic system his business was running at a loss.

"We may have to close down our shops very soon since no people are permitted even to park their vehicles on either side of the road," he said.

A businessman, D. T. Gunathilake who sells brassware at Thunmulla Junction, Colombo wanted the authorities to reintroduce the old traffic system. "Three of us from Pilimatalawa, Kandy have been engaged in the brassware business for the past thirty five years. But after the new traffic scheme was introduced, we faced heavy losses," he said.

He said that his clients did not stop their vehicles due to the newly introduced one way traffic system and requested the police to go back to the old system and also permit vehicle owners to park their vehicles to enable them to purchase goods.

A doctor Sridharan Jeyaraj thanked the authorities for implementing such a system for people like us who normally travel in private vehicles. "I feel the new traffic system is very inconvenient for ordinary people, according to my clients".

"Therefore I earnestly appeal to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to reintroduce the old system which is very convenient for ordinary people who supported him at the last election," he said.

A businessman, D. Nawaratne of Colombo thanked the Mayor of Kandy for abolishing the new traffic system which was introduced only a month ago and revert to the old system following numerous requests by citizens, travelling by public transport.

"This is a fine example to the authorities in Colombo, who normally travel by private vehicles and introduce various laws without considering the plight of ordinary people," he said.

He also called upon the authorities to go back to the old traffic system which was very convenient for people travelling by public transport. A hotelier in Kollupitiya, Chamara Asanka said that after the new traffic system was implemented almost all shops, hotels, eating houses and various other business places along the Galle Road from Bambalapitiya to Galle Face were running at a loss.

"Those days we had a brisk business during the evenings, but now the vehicles go through R. A. De Mel Mawatha (Duplication Road) to the Bambalapitiya Junction and therefore the new system has badly affected the masses who travel by public transport.

A nurse, Achala Dammika of Kottawa said, " Anyone who comes to a bus halt in the city during peak hours, could clearly see the severe traffic congestion and how people have to wait at bus halts due to the new traffic scheme.

"Therefore the new traffic system must be abolished and the old system reintroduced," she said.

Saman Kotalawala of Nugegoda said, " I am a public servant and my office is near the Public Administration Department at Torrinton Square. "Unlike earlier now I have to spend Rs. 15 more a day to go to my workplace due to this traffic system and just imagine how many people like me suffer financially," he said.He called upon the authorities to reintroduce the old system for the convenience of the majority ordinary citizens and businessmen.

A businessman, Kumar Perera said, "Let's forget our delay to offices and our children to schools due to the new traffic system".

"But what about the risk to human life. During the past two months several road accidents occurred opposite Royal College and the Flower Road junction due to the new system," he said.

Samanthi Palliyaguru of Maharagama said, "Anybody who watches the huge traffic flow from Thunmulla Junction to St. Briget's Convent Junction via Thurstan Road in the morning will definitely prefer the old system, since vehicles are running like birds from their nests.," "Suppose if a small child crosses the Thurstan Road at a time like this, he will be definitely knocked down," he said.

A resident of School Lane, Dehiwala, W. Meadows said that not only bus travellers but also pedestrians of the Kollupitiya-Bambalapitiya stretch of Galle Road were badly affected and inconvenienced due to the new traffic scheme.

Narendra Rasanayagam of Wellawatte said that the old system was far better, considering the heavy traffic flow starting from Bambalapitiya Junction to Colombo on the Galle Road, especially in the morning.

"After the new system was introduced, vehicles go in a bunch and accidents could be expected at any moment, therefore please revert to the old system, since the Police are also helpless," he said.

A Police Officer who wished to remain anonymous said, "The new system was introduced by the City Traffic Police after a careful study of the huge traffic flow to the city daily." "But we have not reaped any benefit from this.

For example, earlier vehicles turning from Thunmulla Junction ran to Colombo along Thurstan Road and Reid Avenue.

"But now all vehicles go along Thurstan Road and this causes a severe traffic jam during peak hours,"he said.

He said the police prefer the old traffic system, as it is also convenient to motorists to go to their destinations without any hindrance.

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