75 RDA roads severely damaged by bad weather; urgent repairs underway

Colombo, Nov. 27 (Daily Mirror) - The Road Development Authority (RDA) announced that 75 major highways across the country have been severely damaged due to floods and landslides triggered by the prevailing adverse weather conditions. 

Director General of the RDA, Wimal Kandambi, said that necessary financial allocations have already been provided and urgent repair work is being carried out.

He made these remarks during a special media briefing held today (27 November 2025).

The Director General said that the Central, Uva, and Eastern Provinces have suffered the most severe damage, while roads in the North-Central, Southern, Sabaragamuwa, and North-Western Provinces have been affected to a lesser extent. Many roads in the Eastern Province remain inaccessible due to flooding, and several landslides have occurred in hilly regions.

He noted that the RDA is operating a 24-hour emergency response service to clear blockages and ensure safe passage for motorists. Staff from Provincial Director’s Offices, as well as Chief Engineer and Executive Engineer Offices, are engaged in continuous day-and-night operations.

Commenting on the temporarily closed Kadugannawa road section, Kandambi said that full reconstruction work will begin once the rains subside and after receiving technical guidance from the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO). “About 25 to 30 unstable rocks must be removed to restore complete safety. Necessary steps have already been taken,” he added.

He confirmed that no bridge damage has been reported so far, but assured that if such incidents occur, temporary iron bridges will be constructed immediately to maintain connectivity.

Kandambi further said that, in addition to the annual budget allocations for flood-related repairs, the government will provide additional financial provisions to expedite the reconstruction of all affected roads.