Northern Province Governor N. Vethanayahan stated that all roads in the Northern Province will be reconstructed within the next two to three years with the full support of His Excellency the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Hon. Ministers Bimal Ratnayake and Ramalingam Chandrasekar.
Under the theme “A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life,” the official inauguration of the reconstruction work of the Karainagar Circular Road in the Jaffna District, at a cost of Rs. 117.04 million, was held today – on Sunday 15 March 2026, as part of efforts toward regional revival. The Governor made these remarks while participating in the inauguration ceremony.
Continuing his speech, the Governor stated that during his tenure as the Jaffna District Secretary, the people of the area had repeatedly requested the reconstruction of this road. However, due to the circumstances at the time, the request could not be fulfilled. He expressed great satisfaction that, after nearly 40 years, the present government has granted approval for the reconstruction of this road, thereby fulfilling the long-standing aspiration of the people.
He further noted that the Karainagar area is a well-known tourist destination. Until now, tourists traveling to Casuarina Beach had to use this deteriorated road, which had adversely affected the tourism industry. With the reconstruction of this road, he said, the number of tourist arrivals to the area is expected to increase significantly in the future.
On behalf of the people of the province, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Hon. Ministers Bimal Ratnayake and R. Chandrasekar. When he was serving as an opposition Member of Parliament, Minister Bimal Ratnayake allocated decentralized funds to our district, through which several projects were implemented during my tenure as the District Secretary.
Similarly, Minister R. Chandrasekar has been directly visiting the Jaffna and Kilinochchi districts and actively addressing the issues faced by the people. With their continued support and cooperation, the other challenges faced by the province can also be resolved swiftly.
Our provincial road infrastructure was severely affected by the recent “Ditwah” disaster. However, due to the prompt intervention of the government, funds were immediately released for the temporary repair of the damaged roads. At present, financial allocations have also been made for their permanent reconstruction.
The projects implemented through the Provincial Council are being carried out with financial allocations from the central government. Therefore, with the full cooperation and support of the government, I believe that the reconstruction of the road network in the Northern Province can be completed within the next two to three years, he said.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Hon. Bimal Ratnayake, stated that appropriate steps have been taken to release lands belonging to the people that are currently under the control of the Department of Forests and the Department of Wildlife. He noted that certain administrative issues related to this matter will be resolved soon.
He further pointed out that due to the large-scale migration of people from the island areas of the Jaffna District, many of those areas have become deserted. However, with the ongoing infrastructure development initiatives, the people of those areas will be able to return and resettle in their native places.
The Minister also stated that the “QR” fuel distribution system has been reintroduced in anticipation of a possible fuel shortage following the April New Year, in light of rising global war tensions. He added that if these global tensions continue for more than two months, they could also have an impact on the development activities currently being carried out in the country.
Of the 7 kilometers long Karainagar Circular Road, 2 kilometers have already been reconstructed. The reconstruction work of a further 2 kilometers from the remaining 5 kilometers was officially initiated today. Funds have also been allocated under the “Ditwah” reconstruction project for the remaining 3 kilometers, and the entire road is expected to be fully reconstructed within this year. It is also noteworthy that proper drainage facilities will be provided as part of the reconstruction, and the road will be elevated and rebuilt in low-lying areas.
The event was attended by the Hon. Ministers Bimal Ratnayake and R. Chandrasekar; Hon. Members of Parliament K. Ilankumaran, S. Sribavanandaraja and J. Rajeevan; the Hon. Chairman of the Karainagar Pradeshiya Sabha; the Additional District Secretary of the Jaffna District; the Karainagar Divisional Secretary; the Provincial Director of the Road Development Authority; the District Chief Engineer; the Secretary of the Karainagar Pradeshiya Sabha; and many other officials and representatives.
