Matale District Secretary Prasanna Madananayake said that reconstruction work on the Matale–Riverston Road, which was damaged by landslides caused by Cyclone Ditwah, will be completed expeditiously and the road reopened to tourists.
He made these remarks during an inspection of the ongoing renovation work on the Riverston Road on Thursday, which was attended by officials from several government institutions in the Matale District.
The District Secretary explained that the immediate priority is to repair landslide-affected sections along the Matale–Ratthota–Riverston road and allow light vehicle traffic at the earliest possible time. As a long-term measure, he said a series of development projects will be implemented in the Riverston tourist zone to provide all necessary facilities for both local and foreign tourists.
He further clarified that there is no decision to close Atanwala village and assured that residents will be provided with the necessary facilities to continue their cultivation activities. The government, he said, is also focused on supplying essential infrastructure to those who may need to resettle in new locations following required assessments.
Central Province Senior Geologist H. C. U. Moremada, Matale Additional District Secretary (Lands) F. R. M. Riyaldeen, Disaster Management Centre Assistant Director Chaminda Amaraweera, Sri Lanka Red Cross Society Matale District Office Chairman Hasitha Wijethilaka, Government Information Officer Nishantha Karunaratne, and officials from several institutions, including the Road Development Authority and the Forest Conservation Department, were present at the inspection.
