Laws to curb unauthorised constructions to be strengthened: President

8 December 2025 10:16 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 8 Bookmark

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Colombo, Dec. 8 (Daily Mirror) - President Anura Kumara Dissanayake emphasised that no room will be given in the future for unauthorised constructions and that laws relating to them will be strengthened.

The President, making these comments in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah that destroyed over 1,000 houses across the island, further pointed out that failure to do so would lead the country to face an even greater disaster.

President Dissanayake stated that a separate unit will be established under the Reconstruction Presidential Task Force, which is to be set up shortly, to formulate legal policies and that this will enable long-term solutions to these issues.

President Dissanayake made these remarks last afternoon (07) while participating in the Special District Coordination Committee meeting held at the Kurunegala District Secretariat.

The President also instructed the relevant authorities to restore all damaged provincial roads and local council roads in the Kurunegala District to full functionality and reopen them for public use within the next two weeks.

He further stated that the allocations already set aside for this purpose should be utilised and that any roads that cannot be completed before 31 December, along with the required allocations, should be reported. The necessary funds will be allocated for these in the 2026 budget.

The Kurunegala district has recorded damages to 1,181 ‘A’ and ‘B’ grade provincial roads due to the disaster, along with 35 bridges, 162 culverts and one embankment.

The President separately reviewed the measures taken to restore essential infrastructure, including electricity, water supply and communication facilities that had been disrupted in the district due to the disaster.

Comments - 8

BuffaloaCitizen Monday, 08 December 2025 10:38 AM

Unauthorized construction needs to be banned. All the shanties in and around Maradana and Slave Island are unauthorized. If one drives down Marine Drive, all those pubs and restaurants on the sea side of the railway are blatantly illegal. It is all bullshit.

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Steve Monday, 08 December 2025 10:41 AM

Corruption during previous governments led to unauthorized and poor constructions. Nature has taught us a hard lesson.

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Lion Monday, 08 December 2025 11:48 AM

Please do this as fast as you can, please make sure that the officers who authorize the construction should be responsible for its veracity

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Nikita Monday, 08 December 2025 01:16 PM

Laws are already existing and laws alone will do nothing. What we are lacking is enforcement of the laws. Those approve unsuitable buildings (by taking bribes) should be subjected to severe punishments.

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Nihal Perera Monday, 08 December 2025 06:02 PM

Yes laws are there just like the other laws in our country. It depends to whom they are implemented and who comply . After sunami , there was so called green belt that no one can build anything. It did not last too long Now there are hotels.

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Shankar Monday, 08 December 2025 02:42 PM

In Mahiyawa Kandy and in Akurana on top of the narrow stream illegal concrete structures have been eracted by car sale outlets and other business units. As a results during heavy shower mahiyawa Road and Akurana Town goes under water. These illegal constructions should be removed.

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Dr Tissa Fernando Monday, 08 December 2025 06:56 PM

So, if those constructions were unauthorised then why pay them compensation from tax payers money. They built houses on unauthorised areas or got the approval paying kickbacks , then why pay them compensation at all. Compensation should not be provided to those whose networth exceeds reconstruction costs of thrir damaged houses. They should have taken insurance cover .

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melville perera Monday, 08 December 2025 07:27 PM

this exposure will show how CMC encourages such structures because of political interference. The front boundary of the Borella Post Office is conveniently used as part of the unauthorised structures using up 1/3 rd the pavement space with a central bus stand serving 8 bus destinations which is crowded during rush hours and it is worse during rainy seasons as shelters cannot be erected due to the row of unauthorised structures now turned into shops of various products and surprisingly they have CEB connections with meters, water service and toilet conveniences allowed by the Post Office apparently free of charge. These should be demolished and replaced with permanent bus shelters for the commuters The department of the CMC handling this subject should be taken to task and explain how this service was allowed. This situation prevails in all such structures adjoining govt buildings

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