Manampitiya Bridge

Manampitiya Bridge
Manampitiya old steel bridge
Official name	Sri Lanka-Japan Friendship Peace Bridge
Carries	3 lanes (2 lanes of highway and 1 railway)
Crosses	Mahaweli River
Locale	Manampitiya, Polonnaruwa District
Design	Cantilever bridge
Total length	302m
Width	10.4m
Opened	1922 (old bridge) 25 October 2007 (new bridge)

Manampitiya Bridge is the second longest bridge in Sri Lanka with a length of 302 metres. It comprises 2 bridges, an ancient steel bridge which is used for railway and a newly built bridge carrying 2 lanes of highway. Before the Kinniya Bridge was declared open in 2009, it was the longest bridge in Sri Lanka. The steel bridge was built in 1922, during the colonial rule.^[1] It is 291 metres long and less than 5 metres in width.^[2] Bridge is located 81 kilometres east of Maradankadawala, along the A11 Habarana-Thirikondiyadimadu road in Polonnaruwa District, linking North Central Province with Eastern Province over Mahaweli River.^[3] The new bridge in Manampitiya was built with financial assistance of Japan, hence the name Sri Lanka-Japan Friendship Peace Bridge.^[4] Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) provided LKR 1.3 billion on behalf of the Japanese government. Bridge was declared open on 25 October 2005 by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The new 50 Sri Lankan Rupee note depicts the Manampitiya Bridge.^[5]

See also

• Kinniya Bridge
• Irakkandi Bridge

References

1. ^ "Japan provides Rs 990m for Manampitiya bridge". Daily News. 2005. http://www.dailynews.lk/2005/05/28/news22.htm. Retrieved 18 August 2011. 
2. ^ "Peace bridge over Mahaweli with Japanese funds". Sunday Observer. 2005. http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2005/10/30/new21.html. Retrieved 18 August 2011. 
3. ^ "New bridge gateway to peace". Ministry of Defense. 2007. http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20071026_01. Retrieved 18 August 2011. 
4. ^ "Lanka's longest bridge to open on Thursday". Daily News. 2007. http://www.dailynews.lk/2007/10/23/news17.asp. Retrieved 18 August 2011. 
5. ^ "2010 - Sri Lanka - 50 Rupee note Development, Prosperity and Sri Lanka Dancers". Lakdiva. 2010. http://notes.lakdiva.org/2010/2010_dplkd_50r.html. Retrieved 18 August 2011.