The government is putting in place projects to ease traffic across the island. Minister of Passenger Transport Management Mahinda Amaraweera said the main focus is to upgrade the public transportation system.
“We want to develop public transport by making them luxury services,” Minister Amaraweera said.
The plan is to encourage more people to choose public transportation over using personal vehicles. Thus, buses and trains will be first developed.
Minister Amaraweera also refuted claims that the government is attempting to fine vehicles that are entering Colombo. “There is no such plan. We want to first develop public transport. Maybe then we can look at imposing a fine on personal vehicles,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Ports and Shipping launched the “Tell Minister” Facebook page this week to create an avenue for the public to inform the minister regarding difficulties they face.
The issue of Colombo’s traffic congestion is worse than formerly anticipated with calls for immediate interventions coming from concerned authorities, Dr. Suratissa Dissanayake, a lecturer in Environmental Sciences at the University of Colombo, told the Sunday Observer.
Dr. Dissanayake points out that if an average worker is caught in traffic for a minute, it could cost the country Rs. 11.94. The labour force in Sri Lanka, according to statistics by the Department of Census and Statistics for 2016, is around 52 per cent of the total population, or 7,947,683 workers. That would extrapolate to a GDP cost of Rs. 94,895,335 per minute spent in traffic, if every worker were in such a situation.
Dr. Dissanayake said that traffic congestion is a timely discussion, especially because, if not mitigated, it could have serious repercussions on the environment, health and the economy.
“The toxic gases emitted by combustion of vehicle engines are known to cause cancer and asthma,” he said, adding that it could also result in severe stress levels and depression in commuters.
Speaking to the Sunday Observer consultant psychiatrist Dr. Amila Isuru said persons may feel stressed because of time management issues.
“When you have already scheduled work and are made to wait in traffic, it can be very stressful. Then there is the disappointment of not being able to spend time doing something that will bring happiness, such as spending time with family, because you are stuck on the road,” Dr. Isuru said.
Then there is the economic impact Dr. Dissanayake said that most have overlooked.
“Mobility is a crucial aspect investors look for when embarking on new investments,” he pointed out adding that with traffic congestions Sri Lanka is at a disadvantage. Burning of fuel during traffic jams also adds to the issue. “This will result in critical drainage of the country’s income”.
The university lecturer also said that Sri Lanka will have to gear up to fight vector-borne diseases. Environmental pollution caused by combustion of vehicle engines will result in temperature changes in the climate, which would impact breeding of vectors, especially dengue mosquitoes.
Dr. Dissanayake hopes that traffic congestions are addressed positively to avoid deterioration of quality of life.