EXPENSIVE SLIPPING AT SOUTHERN EXPRESS HIGHWAY

Drive carefully,
in the event if you slip, the fine will be 2 lacks

An advantage enjoyed by the people if the southern Express Highway is used is that it takes only an hour to reach Colombo from Galle. But, do you know the difficulties you will face if your vehicle slips and hit a wall on the highway?
It can be an offence for which you will be charged a fine of Rs two lacks. Your bill to repair the vehicle too will have to be borne on your account. Sunil Kusumsiri is announcing this news to the users of the highway who had experienced this fine last week. He had written an article to ‘Lakbima’ expressing the difficulties and the hassle he had to undergo after the accident.

“I drove on the Express Southern Highway from Galle to Colombo on the 9 th..   I noticed that it was a bit watery on sides. My cab slipped and hit the iron fence close to the 56.6th mile post. Due to its speed, the vehicle was thrown back to the middle of the road after spinning several rounds and it stopped on the middle of the road. A vehicle came to a standstill after about a minute and because of that there wasn’t a second accident. I called 1969 and a mobile service came and checked the place. They asked whether it was an oil stain or whether I have gone above the white line. I accepted it as it was a possibility. They noted that the iron fence had been damaged and they took my vehicle into custody for destroying public property.
A Policeman got into my vehicle and they told me to take the Welipenna which was the closest exit. Then again, they told me to enter from Welipenna in order to go to Elpitiya Police station.
There, they took my license and the vehicle into custody. Thus accident was informed to RDA in the evening. The fine was Rupees one hundred and eighty one thousand nine hundred and thirty one rupees and fifty cents.
The assessment of the damage is as below:
Spare parts                           Rs     94168.49
Raw Material                         Rs      6123.39
Human resources                  Rs     7287.50
Vehicles and machinery        Rs      21890.00
extra expenses                     Rs       3189.00
Fine  for driving carelessly    Rs      26531.68
National Security Tax            Rs      3248.78
VAT                                       Rs      19492.66
Total assessment                  Rs     181931.50
(Rupees One hundred and eighty one thousand nine hundred and thirty one and cents fifty only)

I paid the fine and got the vehicle released.The insurance, for the third party to be paid later. I have estimated that it will take another Rs One and half lacks for me to repair my vehicle.
However, I travelled on the same route in the same way 30 hours after the accident and the iron fence was yet not repaired by then. Sometimes, still it wouldn’t have been repaired.  The only advice I can give you is that be careful when you drive on the Express Southern Highway. I could get my vehicle released as I had ready cash.”