Sri Lanka’s longest tunnel

4 November 2010 06:17 am - 68 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Sri Lanka’s longest tunnel, the 12.9km long tunnel of the Upper Kotmale Hydropower project was declared open by President Mahinda Rajapaksa a short while ago. It will be open to public during the next three days.

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Comments - 68

PWC Thursday, 04 November 2010 08:53 AM

That's the difference between other leaders. Do the right thing without concedering others. Well done MR.

Puwak Badeliya Thursday, 04 November 2010 09:26 AM

Yes, definitely.

zeereez Thursday, 04 November 2010 09:24 AM

ok so after 3 days people will not be in and , tunnel will be filled with water thats going to flow, marvelous.. very good .... ..

haris Thursday, 04 November 2010 09:21 AM

I 100% agree with you. Our people always have negative comments. Well done Sri Lanka.

Haris

PWC Thursday, 04 November 2010 09:00 AM

Who said it will spend millions to open. It's just a ceremony. Don't be so jealous about the government. Appreciate good things.

PWC Thursday, 04 November 2010 08:57 AM

Adding to that, even St. Clairs waterfall even survive.
But in the initial project, that was to be disappeared.

PWC Thursday, 04 November 2010 08:56 AM

But she didn't have courage to proceed due to Thondamn's objection. But MR did it.

Dila Thursday, 04 November 2010 08:55 AM

Appriciate what? The amount they stole & went underhand? Why should a Tunnel be opened for public to see?? Even that costs PUBLIC Funds...

lankaputha Thursday, 04 November 2010 09:26 AM

Opening of a tunnel that is just a part of a project, by the most busiest prez... see the joke in it pls. Has this ever happened in any other project, or any other place in the world in hydro projects.
we can open million things like this spending billions which is a waste. that is my point.

PWC Thursday, 04 November 2010 08:52 AM

You are not lankaputha, some others "putha". These people see only the negative things and even good things, only the negative part. Never appreciate a good thing.

LK Thursday, 04 November 2010 08:42 AM

this tunnel is a great engineering excellence. but we sorry to see that no one is concerned about the Devon , St. Claire, etc waterfalls affected by this project

robinson Thursday, 04 November 2010 08:11 AM

yes, well said. You are right.

pd Thursday, 04 November 2010 08:06 AM

SAMAN - EXCELLENT COMMENT! I TOTALLY AGREE WITH U

pd Thursday, 04 November 2010 08:02 AM

SL IS REALY ON RIGHT PATH WELL DONE MR. LET DOGS BARK WE ARE ON OUR WAY FM SMALL MIRACLE TO BIG MIRACLE

Lakmal Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:55 AM

JVP ers, do some thing before open to public.

Hitha Honda Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:55 AM

Another remarkable milestone during Mahinda Rajapakha's regime!

J Thursday, 04 November 2010 12:32 PM

As per photograph concrete lining has not completed. That means job completed 50% only. Only publicity showing tunnel to people, how childish are we?

Knight Rider Friday, 05 November 2010 09:01 AM

good point. Proactive thinking is essential for safety standards and should be implemented at all construction sites during and after the project.

Above the crowd Friday, 05 November 2010 08:16 AM

Ask the Chinese.

Above the crowd Friday, 05 November 2010 08:15 AM

Great, now we can have more tunnel vision.

Shovini Friday, 05 November 2010 05:58 AM

Good if Mahinda and his family could stay inside the tunnel permanently and leave us alone to live in peace.

KD Thursday, 04 November 2010 08:42 PM

Please dont talk about spending millions as if you know it. BTW Obama is only image no work.

garawi Thursday, 04 November 2010 01:21 PM

Pardon my ignorance! What kind of a tunnel is this? Is it for road traffic or to channel the water?

Lam Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:54 AM

this kotmale project was initiated by CBK so thanks her too

Anver Thursday, 04 November 2010 11:10 AM

Good work by all those engineers and technicians. We look forward to more projects like this initiated by MR.

srilal Thursday, 04 November 2010 11:09 AM

proud to be a srilankan.........

හනුමා Thursday, 04 November 2010 10:24 AM

You Stupid Donkey... Even in Sri Lanka Electricity supply is not in proper process. Do you think that this builders followed proper rules to have oxygen in.. lol .. end of the day you all will curse for this miracle..

Hasiya Thursday, 04 November 2010 10:07 AM

hehe... seriously we need to do that

Nihal Fernando Thursday, 04 November 2010 09:36 AM

Please don't fight guys. This not for transport or travelling but for hydro power. If you can't see the light at the end of a tunnel you are in the wrong tunnel.

Puwak Badeliya Thursday, 04 November 2010 09:28 AM

Should get the JVPers to start a protest inside the tunnel and then release water into it.

Puwak Badeliya Thursday, 04 November 2010 09:27 AM

It is so heart-warming to see comments like this.

Mushi Thursday, 04 November 2010 06:51 AM

Nice to see many infrastructures coming up in the country. As long as we give these, we can attract foreign and local investors to invest,generate jobs,generate businesses etc..which is the core for the development of a country. Look at Dubai. It has no much oil like other m.e countries BUT has taken huge loans and invested in infrastructures to attract investors from all over world.But most SL's loans are used for repaying previous loan, meeting routine expenses with very less used for capital investments. This should change.

Rakitha Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:01 AM

Well done,,, who ever does the job its for our nation and our people. please be positive when good things take place..

ajith Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:01 AM

I think Daily Mirror needs to brief people in this country why this tunnel is built for and its importance???

mihin Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:01 AM

the tunnel will carry water from Kotmale River to the power station which is slated to add 150 MW of electricity annually to the National Grid.

manjula Thursday, 04 November 2010 06:59 AM

it is for water flowing I think

sir Thursday, 04 November 2010 06:56 AM

its for water

Rajitha Thursday, 04 November 2010 06:54 AM

Well done Sir, all of us feel the pulse of development all round.. Every city , ports,rail,airport,power,health,and what ever you can think of is on a devlopment drive.

Mohamed H Thursday, 04 November 2010 06:52 AM

It is truly a previlage to live in Sri lanka right now... about 02 years back I didnt think so....

Uruwarige Patiya Thursday, 04 November 2010 06:51 AM

This is the very thing we want..a tunnel to bypass all "Hanamiti" ideas

Hasiya Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:04 AM

Well done! We have a good future... Thanks 2 MR!

Fayad Thursday, 04 November 2010 06:50 AM

MR you had the courage to do this project in spite of some powerful politician form the area objection. tums-up.

micky Thursday, 04 November 2010 06:46 AM

@Kosala,
First of all, a negative comment.. Cant u see any thing gud with this? without putting this type of comments, just try to appiricate their work

zeereez Thursday, 04 November 2010 06:41 AM

WHATS THIS TUNNEL FOR.. is it for transportation or for the water to flow thru?

lankaputha Thursday, 04 November 2010 06:40 AM

will that be long enough to hide all the dirty people who are around him ?

Dheen Thursday, 04 November 2010 06:36 AM

This reminds me of the "Pied Piper" story. Beware guys, there can be a power failure.

Ravi Thursday, 04 November 2010 06:35 AM

Hope the authoraties have used proper standards.

Shivanka David Thursday, 04 November 2010 06:28 AM

nice to hear that MR does good things like this too.

Ojective Views Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:17 AM

Lets keep the politics out. This is a proud moment for our country , Why has everything positive that happens ends up with negative comments?

vikum Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:40 AM

Ramzeel, agreed. it was reportedly a small event though. MR was whisked in and whisked away. so don't think it would have cost a lot.
But then this is quite a historic moment. nothing wrong in having head of the state opening it if they can keep the ceremony cost to a minimum

IK Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:39 AM

Lankawe neveida inne ?

Ramzeel Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:33 AM

Wasntha, OK accepted, then what was the big thamasha spending millions to open an outer building. if not this was just an eye wash to boost a flagging image like Obamas.

kapuwa Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:23 AM

This tunnal is part of the Upper Kothmale hydro power project. The eater carring through this tunnel is used to rotate 2 turbines of 75 MW each producing total of 150 MW eletricity.

vikum Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:20 AM

thank you champika

wasntha Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:19 AM

Ramzeel, Norochcholai is yet to be opened.
Its still under construction. Fire broke out in an outer building not in the main section.
Yes still its better to take precautions. The tunnel looks quite sturdy and sophisticated.

Dushantha Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:17 AM

I think there is a point in Kosala's comments. It is not about the negative attitude about the work. The problem we are having is when the news is spread, everybody is going there just to see it. The result would be an over-crowded situation. These are not made for site seeing and authorities are very poor in crowd handling. This happened in places like in Hambantota.

kosala Thursday, 04 November 2010 06:23 AM

hope they have enough oxygen there. when a large crowd goes some may develop breathing problems

Saman Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:16 AM

To develope Sri Lanka, traitors like u, who cant see good things, should burry in that tunnel

wasntha Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:15 AM

if we can build tunnel roads like this we can ease traffic. thanks minister of power and energy.

Ramzeel Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:14 AM

Micky, this is a valid point by Kosala and not a negative comment. Norocholai was opened and there was a fire within hours.. Micky do you want to the people to suffocate. Please be sensible. Thanks Kosala for reminding the authorities of the health hazards that may develop.

lankaman Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:11 AM

unfortunately it seems to be you who doesn't see the gud in that comment. kosala is only raising a safety concern. he was not talking bad about the tunnel. maybe your should consider pumping some oxygen into your brain

wasala Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:10 AM

John seneviratne was sitting on the project for years and champika completed it within a matter of months.
Wonder of Asia with right kind of people. Great work.

migara Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:07 AM

Thank you Champika Ranawaka.
All others said can't build the tunnel and stopped mid way. You started work immediately after assigning power and energy ministry and completed it within five months. Heard it looks great.
You are a real doer, hats off minister.

Saman Thursday, 04 November 2010 07:07 AM

To Zeereez:This tunnel is for power generation( at Upper Kothmale project) . To Others:Dont see only bad sides of everything try to see gud sides also.

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Sri Lanka’s longest tunnel

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