The Palaly Road, stretching from Vasavilan Junction to Ponnalai–Point pedro, has been reopened on 10th April to public transportation after 35 years, albeit under stringent conditions and restrictions.
This approximately 2.5-kilometer stretch, which passes through a ‘high-security military zone,’ had been closed to public access since 1990. As a result, residents traveling from Jaffna to northern parts of Palaly were previously forced to take a detour through Kankesanthurai to reach their destinations. For the past 15 years following the end of the conflict, the public had been persistently requesting the reopening of this road.
Public access through this route is only permitted between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM daily. Strict prohibitions are in effect against stopping vehicles midway, turning vehicles around, taking photographs or recording videos while on the road.
Except for pedestrians and public buses, all other types of heavy or private vehicles are banned from using this road. A maximum speed limit of 40 kilometers per hour is enforced, and drivers are required to carry valid identification documents at all times.
Violation of any of these regulations will result in legal action, as stated on prominently displayed notice boards written in Tamil along the route.
To mark the occasion, local residents performed traditional Tamil rituals along the reopened road. Coconuts were ceremonially broken, and Pongal was cooked on-site. These rituals, rich in cultural significance, were a symbolic expression of the community’s joy and relief after decades of restricted access.
The reopening of this road coincides significantly with the scheduled visit of Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya to Jaffna tomorrow, Friday, during which she is expected to meet with the public at various locations.
