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The Basic Design Study Mission on the proposed Japanese funded new Manampitiya Bridge project who were sent here by the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) handed the draft final report to the Road Development Authority (RDA) yesterday, JICA's Sri Lanka office said.

This team of Japanese experts who have been here from October 24 were expected to recommend a draft basic design for the bridge to the Japanese government. The final report of the study is to be submitted to the Japanese government in January next year, JICA office here said.

The Manampitiya Bridge is located between Polonnaruwa and Manampitiya spanning across the Mahaweli river on the A 11 trunk road providing the only access from the North Central Province to Batticaloa town. There is no other bridge either up stream or down stream along the river around 80 km from the Manampitiya Bridge.

This bridge is also a major approach to the Mahaweli settlement areas in the Polonnaruwa and Ampara Districts. Existing 290-metre long bridge is a rail cum road bridge, which is more than 80 years old. Since the width of the bridge is less than 5m, it is too narrow for passing two vehicles at a time.

The problem is further aggravated when the rail gates are closed for trains to cross over the bridge. About 3000 vehicles pass this bridge daily and RDA has estimated an increase in the volume of the traffic when the economic development activities are accelerated in the future.

In the recent past, the Government of Japan has extended grant aid to reconstruct 7 bridges, which were identified by the Bridge Development Master Plan of JICA in 1996. Most recently completed bridges are the Muwagama Bridge at Ratnapura and the Gampola Bridge.

In addition, the Government of Japan has provided assistance to implement Sri Lanka Japan Friendship Bridge (Victoria Bridge) Project, Baseline Road Project, Road Network Improvement Project and Detailed Design Study on the Outer Circular Road.