- Claim authorities have delayed paying compensation
People from approximately 500 families started a Satyagraha campaign yesterday (27) near the Central Expressway entrance in Gettuwana, Kurunegala, urging relevant institutions to immediately provide compensation for their houses that were damaged during the construction of the Central Expressway.
The protest originates from a group of residents who had earlier been complaining since 2020 that their lives were in grave danger due to structural damages caused to their houses during the construction of the Central Expressway, and sought immediate relief from the Government. In response, the Ministry of Transport and Highways stated that the relevant compensation payments would be made by 31 December this year. The group had lodged a complaint with the Human Right Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) regarding the matter, but said that they had not received any relief from the watchdog.
The affected families claim that authorities have not yet commenced the initial work related to the payment of compensation, arguing that they had no choice but to start a Satyagraha campaign near the Central Expressway in Gettuwana to draw the attention of the Government to the inaction of the responsible agency, the Road Development Authority (RDA). The families had taken material needed to construct a hut under the bridge near the expressway entrance, and a large number of police officers had been deployed around the area by last morning.
Speaking to The Daily Morning, one of the affected residents, Sanjeewa Kulathilaka said that a group of police officers that had arrived at the location had informed them that the construction of a hut could not be allowed. Kulathilaka told The Daily Morning that although they had explained to the Police the seriousness of the problem faced by them, and that the hut would be constructed so as not to obstruct motorists or pedestrians, the Police disrupted their effort and removed the hut.
“We have been lodging complaints with the Police and Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) regarding this matter since 2020, but no solution has been provided to us. The Faculty of Engineering of the University of Ruhuna recently visited 20 of these houses and inspected them. They said that people living in four of those houses are at high risk, and advised them to leave immediately, but where can they go? The authorities do not understand this issue,” Kulathilaka charged.
Speaking to The Daily Morning on an earlier occasion, the then-Secretary to the Transport and Highways Ministry, M.M.P.K. Mayadunne said that considering the recommendations made by the Committee, the Ministry had informed the relevant contractor to finalise the payment of previously agreed compensation to residents whose houses were damaged, before 31 December. If any resident does not agree with the compensation sum offered by the contractor, he said that a damage assessment of such houses would be conducted by the National Building Research Organisation.
Attempts to contact the Minister of Transport and the RDA regarding the alleged inaction, and delays in paying compensation, failed.