A 240-foot Bailey Bridge built with Indian assistance was inaugurated on Sri Lanka’s Chilaw-Thoduwawa Road, restoring a key coastal link damaged by Cyclone Ditwah. The bridge was jointly opened by Sri Lankan Minister A.H.M.H. Abayarathna and India’s High Commissioner Santosh Jha, highlighting New Delhi’s expanding humanitarian role in the region. Constructed by the Indian Army’s Engineer Task Force in coordination with local authorities, the extra-wide double-reinforced structure reconnects fishing and farming communities while improving passenger movement and supply chains along the Colombo-Puttalam coastal corridor. Speaking at the event, High Commissioner Jha said that Indian engineering teams will continue reconstruction at 40 damaged sites across seven provinces, with nearly 15 Bailey bridges planned in the coming weeks. The project forms part of India’s USD 450 million post-disaster reconstruction package announced by External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar, with USD 30 million earmarked specifically for bridge connectivity.
