Politicians blaming each other for not building bridge over troubled waters

Six people, including four children, die as unsafe ferry capsizes, while taking them to school

Tragedy struck when six people, including four children on their way to school, died when a ferry capsized in the Kurinjankerni lagoon in Kinniya.

While politicians were busy blaming one another, the grim reality is that for many years the Kinniya residents did not have a proper bridge in the area.

The residents had used a bridge constructed in 1977 before it collapsed during torrential rain.

At the time of this week's disaster, the ferry was carrying more than 30 passengers, most of them being children going to school.

The surviving 11 children, who are receiving treatment in Kinniya Base Hospital would have psychological trauma that is more likely to go unattended or untreated like in most tragedies of this nature. The victims' relatives said the hospital facilities were basic. Kinniya residents had been requesting that the bridge be rebuilt but there was no response from the authorities. "Elections come and go like the promises of the politicians," one of the exasperated residents remarked. In an effort to hold politicians responsible for the lack of basic infrastructure for the people, an angry mob took down an iron gate and stormed the residence of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) national list parliamentarian M. S. Thowfeek.

The Road Development Authority (RDA) is responsible for the planning, development, and maintenance of roads and bridges in Sri Lanka. Kinniya is in the Trincomalee district and the area's parliamentarian Imran Mahroof said he had several documents in his possession appealing that some action be taken regarding this matter. The Sunday Times is in possession of a letter written in May this year, by the RDA's Chief Engineer to the RDA's Construction Director, with a copy sent to Parliamentarian M S Thowfeek, recommending a ferry service to be operated by RDA workers and a bridge. The proposal had been approved on May 5, subject to following “tender procedure”.

The letter said the bridge contract had been awarded to M S V V Karunaratne & Company. However, there was no bypass road or suitable alternative route for the road users to cross the bridge area. Therefore, the people and school children were suffering in their dayto-day activities. In this regard, the people requested for a bypass road or ferry service to be provided in this location.

Many residents said if they took the alternate road they had to travel an extra five kilometres and so they often used the ferry service because it was easier.

Many photographs reveal that the ferry was made of planks across a dinghy - a small boat often carried or towed by a larger vessel - with a motor and plastic barrels attached. Residents complained that when transporting people in these ferries scant regard was given to safety procedures.

Parliamentarian Thowfeek revealed that a temporary iron bridge used by the residents was removed in March this year, to fulfil his election pledge to construct a bridge and a ferry or boat service. An area resident thanked Parliamentarian Thowfeek on April 29, for this decision and for personally bearing the cost of the ferry service.

In social media post Mr Thowfeek said, “Thank God for the starting of a ferry service which is free of charge.” However, in May this year a letter from the RDA Chief Engineer set out that the cost of the ferry service was Rs2 million. Whether this was a onetime payment or a recurring expense, and who had to bear this cost was unclear. Since the approval was granted subject to “following tender procedure” did not provide clear answers.

In a letter dated October 28 this year, Kinniya Urban Council Chairman S H M Naleem, said he had granted permission to M A M Riyaz to start a ferry service subject to three main conditions; free transportation of school children, maintenance of safety standards and regular checking of the ferry's condition.

However, the Sunday Times noted that no official had been identified to monitor the implementation of these conditions. After investigations, the Police produced Mr Naleem in court on November 26 and he was remanded till December 9.