Challenge

The Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam had signed a ceasefire agreement allowing reconstruction of the conflict effected areas and rehabilitation of the communities affected.

During the conflict the infrastructure in the affected areas was either directly damaged by hostilities or suffered incremental decay as routine maintenance was not safe or practical. Travelling in conflict affected areas was painstakingly slow, hampered by delays and virtually impassable by heavy goods vehicles. Reconstructing infrastructure became an immediate priority.

Solution

Mabey, supported by the British Government, worked with the Government of Sri Lanka to identify, on national ‘A’ roads and priority routes in the North and East of the island, bridges that needed reconstructing to allow the free flow of raw material and resources to allow reconstruction to begin.

A project consisting of 89 bridges and 2 ferries was collated and assigned to the Ministry of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Refugees and once financial support was secured from the British Government, the project officially started in October 2003.

In November of that year, the first shipment of permanent 2-lane steel bridges arrived at Colombo port.

Result

Working with local contractors, the Ministry was able to complete 48 bridges by the end of 2005; the rest being installed in the final year of the project. The use of local contractors and local industry skills ensured employment for the local people and prosperity for the local community.