Qraqqed!

The recently introduced one-way system which applies to Galle Road and Duplication Road hasn’t been talked upon in the blogosphere as far as I know. Some of you may feel that the said road system is good and eases the traffic in Colombo. Others, like me, may feel that it is a total inconvenience towards drivers as it further complicates the already complicated road network in Colombo.

Fuel wastage

Oil is now 90$ a barrel. Not long from now it’ll finally break the 100$ barrier. Sri Lanka is a poor country with a high dependence on foreign oil for all it’s transportation and industrial needs. With the new one-way system introduced supposedly to ease traffic in the city, a vehicle on Galle Road has to travel a further distance to get on to Duplication Road or any of the other by-lanes and streets attached than the distance it would travel before this stupid one-way system was introduced. Imagine not one vehicle, but the thousands of others that have to do the same damn thing everyday. Doesn’t this waste fuel?

Time wastage

Back to the supposed ‘reason’ for introducing this system. True, there is a major crisis looming regarding traffic in Colombo. That is an accepted fact. But have you noticed a difference in traffic? I certainly haven’t In fact, now it takes me more time to get from A to B than it did when the two-way system was in place.

High accident rate

Many people, drivers and pedestrians alike, are still not aware of of the one-way system and are constantly found confused and muddled as to where to go next. Pedestrians, for example, are very likely to cross Galle Road and look the other side for oncoming traffic and cross the road unaware of a lane of traffic charging at him form the other side.

Taking into consideration the wastage of fuel, the wastage of time and the many other factors that come with any clogged road system, air pollution, noise pollution, a high rate of accidents etc. is there any point in bringing into place a system like this at all.

There is a reason, my dear bloggers. Unless most of you have not figured it out for yourself, which is a shame, this one-way system was introduced for one purpose and for that purpose only. Government Ministers can now practically fly with their entourage on the streets of Colombo. What they do is, they close down one whole block of road and all the other roads connecting to it, and make the Minister’s vehicle, Jeeps filed with escort troop and all, travel in the opposite direction of the one-way, leaving the ordinary man waiting for his turn to get back a to the same old clogged streets.

If only they used their brains for the good of ordinary Sri Lankans instead of themselves……………..