Deputy Minister of Transport and Highways Prasanna Gunasekera says the section of the Colombo–Kandy Road near the Pahala Kadugannawa landslide site cannot be reopened for vehicular movement until the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) inspects the area and issues a report on its safety.
He said reports indicate that an unstable soil layer exists above the landslide point, leaving very little possibility of reopening the road today, 23 November.
Speaking to the media on the prevailing disaster situation, the Deputy Minister said unauthorised construction on land with unstable soil identified by the NBRO has contributed to such incidents.
Gunasekera further noted that several trains operate along the railway line situated above the affected location, and vibrations caused during train movement pose an additional risk of further destabilising the already unstable soil layers.
Given these conditions, speed limits have been introduced for trains passing the area, and the impact of train movement on the affected site is being monitored separately, he added.
