- Bridge is safe: RDA
- RDA will have to hire private security: Alles
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has ordered an increase in security on key road infrastructure to prevent expressways and the New Kelani Bridge from being damaged by thieves, The Sunday Morning learns.
This, following last week’s revelations by the Road Development Authority (RDA) that a loss of nearly Rs. 270 million had been incurred as a result of theft from the New Kelani Bridge, which had rendered its state-of-the-art lighting system inoperable.
However, the RDA said that the bridge itself was safe to use.
RDA Director General L.V.S. Weerakoon told The Sunday Morning yesterday (15) that the President had given these instructions at the most recent meeting of the National Security Council held last week.
“The President summoned us to a meeting of the National Security Council on Tuesday (11) to look into the matter in detail. There, he ordered the Police to identify the locations that are most vulnerable to theft and to increase security. He also ordered that more frequent Police patrols be carried out in these areas,” Weerakoon told The Sunday Morning.
“Panel boards on the lights, downpipes, cables, and CCTV cameras outside the Kelani Bridge are the ones that are being targeted by these petty thieves. The bridge itself is safe. It is not possible to take off steel nuts and bolts from the bridge even over a span of five days, let alone in a matter of a few hours. In addition, cables for the lighting system on the Katunayake Expressway have also been stolen,” he explained.
He noted, however, that these incidents had taken place several months prior and that some arrests had already been made.
“These incidents took place a few months ago and the Police were informed. In fact, some culprits have already been apprehended by the Police.”
However, Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles said that the RDA would need to use a private firm to provide security to the public assets under its purview.
“The RDA will have to hire private security for this purpose. The Police will of course lend support in whatever way they can,” he said.