Need for daily official updates about upcountry access roads for tourists

Tuesday, 9 December 2025 00:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Due to the recent cyclone access roads to Nuwara Eliya have been severely affected. The Kandy-Gampola-Ramboda-Nuwara Eliya road has been the worst affected and may take some time to repair.

I personally visited Colombo on Monday (1 December) via the Wadawata - Kirindiwela - Ruwanwella - Ginigathhena - Hatton road and came back to Nuwara Eliya on Tuesday (2nd December). By now the Kaduwela -Avissawella road too is accessible. Although you will see a lot of rubble on the way, all kinds of vehicles like big fuel bowsers, container carriers, public buses, tourist buses, lorries and all kinds of other vehicles travel on this road. This is a perfectly good road to travel to Nuwara Eliya.

Similarly, one of my colleagues travelled to Nuwara Eliya from Matale. He travelled through Kandy – Gampola – Kothmale – Nawalapitiya and via Hatton to Nuwara Eliya. We understand that Welimada - Nuwara Eliya and Gampola - Nawalapitiya roads are being repaired and will be ready soon.

Sadly, due to the cyclone most of our bookings were wiped out. We were able to save a few by saying there are access roads. However, the latest ground situation is that the drivers and tour operators are refusing to come to Nuwara Eliya saying there are no access roads. This is purely due to a lack of knowledge.

We have been hit hard and are now being back stabbed by our own people purely because of a lack of knowledge. Similarly, Ella-Nuwara Eliya can be reached via Ohiya. Usually, there is an admission fee when you travel to Horton Plains but these days that too has been omitted.

We have been badly affected. We are helpless. We don’t know what will happen to us. During the crisis we were out of touch with the rest of the world for over 48 hours. Now that things are getting back to normal, let us at least host 1 or 2 guests by having proper clarity on how to travel from Colombo-Nuwara Eliya, Kandy-Nuwara Eliya, Ella-Nuwara Eliya etc.

Someone with authority, please issue an official daily communique so that we can show it to drivers, tour agents and guests.

Sanjeewa Dananjaya

Resident and Guest House Owner

Meepilimana, Nuwara Eliya

[email protected]