Logistics Cluster

SRI LANKA – Logistics Capacity Assessment Extract

Roads Transport

1. General Conditions ........................................................................................................................... 1

2. Road from Colombo to Galle.......................................................................................................... 2
2.1. Description ................................................................................................................................... 2
2.2. Road Characteristics .................................................................................................................. 2
2.3 Road from Colombo to Galle .................................................................................................... 3
2.3. Road security ............................................................................................................................... 3
3. Road from Colombo to Trincomalee ............................................................................................. 3
3.1. Description ................................................................................................................................... 3
3.2. Road characteristics................................................................................................................... 4
3.3. Road Colombo to Trincomalee................................................................................................ 4
3.4. Road security ............................................................................................................................... 4
4. Road from Colombo to Batticaloa................................................................................................. 5
4.1. Description ................................................................................................................................... 5
4.2. Road characteristics................................................................................................................... 5
4.3. Road Colombo to Batticoloa ................................................................................................... 6
4.4. Road security ............................................................................................................................... 6
5. Road from Colombo to Vavuniya .................................................................................................. 6
5.1. Description ................................................................................................................................... 6
5.2. Road characteristics................................................................................................................... 7
5.2. Road Colombo to Vavuniya..................................................................................................... 7
5.4. Road security ............................................................................................................................... 8
6. Road from Vavuniya to Jaffna ........................................................................................................ 8
6.1. Description ................................................................................................................................... 8
5.4 Road Characteristics ................................................................................................................... 8
6.3. Road Vavuniya to Jaffna .......................................................................................................... 9
6.4. Road security ............................................................................................................................... 9
7. Traveling time in Sri Lanka (in general).......................................................................................... 9

1. General Conditions
Sri Lanka has a road network of approximately 100,000 kilometers sufficient for meeting 90
percent of the demand for transportation. Out of the total length of roads, maintenance
and development of A and B class national roads and 4,480 bridges are vested with the
Road Development Authority (RDA). Approximately another 15,000 kilometers of C and D
class roads are under the purview of provincial councils.

• Acceptable being tarred, wide enough (5m) for two vehicles to pass, but
with irregularities in the surface, narrow shoulders and many obstacles on the
road (i.e. people, bicyclists, mini-taxies, animal pulled carts, etc.). Travel
speed on such roads is on average 40 km/hr. Most of Sri Lankan intercity
roads are in this category.

• Reasonable being tarred, six or more meters in width and/or with a firm and
broad shoulder. Trucks and buses can pass from opposite directions without

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Logistics Cluster

needing to tread on the shoulder.

• Good roads are few and most found in the inner city of Colombo. Heavy
traffic and regulated speed limits restrict travel at higher speeds in Colombo
City.

2. Road from Colombo to Galle

2.1. Description
Location Details
Origin Destination

Town or city (closest) Colombo Galle

Longitude (E/W Decimal
Degrees) 06*54.49 06*12.30
Longitude (E/W Decimal
Degrees) 79*51.52 80*12.50
Total Route (distance in
km) 116 KM

2.2. Road Characteristics

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2.3 Road from Colombo to Galle

Stretch 1: From Colombo to Galle

Distance from origin at start of stretch – km
Distance from origin at end of stretch – km
Route time on this stretch (4X4) – Hours 3.5
Town or city (closest)
Class of road O Highway ● Primary O Secondary O Track O Trail
Other:

Surface ● Asphalt O Concrete O Gravel O Dirt O Sand

Possible weather conditions ● Mud O Flooded O Snow/Ice O Other:
Passable by ● Car ● 4X4 ● Truck O Trailer
Nature of change to next O Getting
stretch Worse O Improving O Restriction: 2 Checkpoints

2.3. Road security

3. Road from Colombo to Trincomalee

3.1. Description
Location Details
Origin Destination

Town or city (closest) Colombo Trincomalee

Longitude (E/W Decimal
Degrees) 06*54.49 08*34.50
Longitude (E/W Decimal
Degrees) 79*51.52 81*13.65
Total Route (distance in
km) 257 KM

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3.2. Road characteristics

3.3. Road Colombo to Trincomalee

Stretch 1: From Colombo to Trincomalee
Distance from origin at start of stretch – km 0
Distance from origin at end of stretch – km 0
Route time on this stretch (4X4) – Hours 8
Town or city (closest) Colombo
Class of road O Highway ● Primary O Secondary O Track O Trail
Other:

Surface ● Asphalt O Concrete O Gravel O Dirt O Sand

Possible weather conditions ● Mud ● Flooded O Snow/Ice O Other:
Passable by ● Car ● 4X4 ● Truck O Trailer
Nature of change to next O Getting
stretch Worse O Improving O Restriction (please specify):

3.4. Road security

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4. Road from Colombo to Batticaloa

4.1. Description
Location Details
Origin Destination

Town or city (closest) Colombo Batticaloa

Longitude (E/W Decimal
Degrees) 06*54.49 07*42.57
Longitude (E/W Decimal
Degrees) 79*51.52 81*41.57
Total Route (distance in
km) 303 KM

4.2. Road characteristics

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4.3. Road Colombo to Batticoloa

Stretch 1: From Colombo to Batticaloa

Distance from origin at start of stretch – km
Distance from origin at end of stretch – km _
Route time on this stretch (4X4) – Hours _9
Town or city (closest) Colombo _
Class of road O Highway ● Primary O Secondary O Track O Trail
Other:

Surface ● Asphalt O Concrete O Gravel O Dirt O Sand

Possible weather conditions ● Mud ● Flooded O Snow/Ice O Other:
Passable by ● Car ● 4X4 ● Truck O Trailer

Nature of change to next O Getting

stretch Worse O Improving O Restriction (please specify):

4.4. Road security

5. Road from Colombo to Vavuniya

5.1. Description
Location Details
Origin Destination

Town or city (closest) Colombo Vavuniya

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Longitude (E/W Decimal

Degrees) 06*54.49 08*45.93
Longitude (E/W Decimal
Degrees) 79*51.52 80*29.26
Total Route (distance in
km) 254 KM

5.2. Road characteristics

5.2. Road Colombo to Vavuniya

Stretch 1: From Colombo to Vavuniya

Distance from origin at start of stretch – km

Distance from origin at end of stretch – km
Route time on this stretch (4X4) – Hours 6
Town or city (closest) Colombo
Class of road O Highway ● Primary O Secondary O Track O Trail
Other:

Surface ● Asphalt O Concrete O Gravel O Dirt O Sand

Possible weather conditions ● Mud O Flooded O Snow/Ice O Other:

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Passable by ● Car ● 4X4 ● Truck O Trailer

Nature of change to next O Getting
stretch Worse O Improving O Restriction (please specify):

5.4. Road security

6. Road from Vavuniya to Jaffna

6.1. Description
Location Details
Origin Destination

Town or city (closest) Vavuniya Jaffna

Longitude (E/W Decimal
Degrees) 08*45.93 09*39.63
Longitude (E/W Decimal
Degrees) 80*29.26 80*01.56
Total Route (distance in
km) 142 KM

5.4 Road Characteristics

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6.3. Road Vavuniya to Jaffna

Stretch 1: From Vavuniya to Jaffna
Distance from origin at start of stretch – km
Distance from origin at end of stretch – km
Route time on this stretch (4X4) – Hours 3.5
Town or city (closest) Colombo
Class of road O Highway ● Primary O Secondary O Track O Trail
Other:

Surface ● Asphalt ● Concrete O Gravel O Dirt O Sand

Possible weather conditions ● Mud O Flooded O Snow/Ice O Other:
Passable by ● Car ● 4X4 ● Truck O Trailer
Nature of change to next O Getting
stretch Worse O Improving ● Restriction: 2 Checkpoints

6.4. Road security

7. Traveling time in Sri Lanka (in general)

Distance between Km. Time in hours
towns in Km & Hours 4X4 Truck
Colombo - Galle 116 3,5 4,5
Colombo - Ampara 350 7 9
Colombo - Batticaloa 303 9 10,5
Colombo -
257 8 10
Trincomalee
Colombo - Vavuniya 254 6 8
Colombo - Puttalam 142 2,5 3,5
Galle - Matara 45 1 1
Matara -Hambantota 77 2 2
Ampara -Batticaloa 70 2 2,5
Ampara -Trincomalee 206 5 7
Batticaloa - 138 3,5 4,5
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Trincomalee
Trincomalee -
97 3 4,5
Vavuniya
Vavuniya - Killinochchi 80 2 2,5
Killinochchi -Mullatiwu 55 1,5 1,5
Killinochchi -Jaffna 62 1,5 2

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