Efforts to recover Sri Lanka from the effects of Cyclone Titwa continue to receive support from the international level. As part of this, the World Bank has approved US$110 million in funding for the reconstruction of roads severely damaged by the cyclone.
It has been reported that the approval regarding this fund has been given on 30th September. Actions will be taken to rehabilitate and re-use about 600 kilometers of roads through this fund.
Transport links were affected in many areas due to the impact of Cyclone Titwa. Due to damaged roads, people faced difficulties in reaching cities and nearby important places for their daily needs.
Considering this, priority is being given to rehabilitate important roads that are used by people. Roads especially for reaching markets, schools and health centers are given importance under this scheme.
600 km of roads will be reconstructed
The new funding from the World Bank will not only be used to rehabilitate damaged roads, it said. Attention will also be given to building new structures to withstand the impact of severe weather and natural calamities in the future.
Improved drainage systems are to be installed on the roads being reconstructed. One of the objectives is to reduce waterlogging and subsequent damage to roads during heavy rains.
Similarly, safety measures are also being taken in areas prone to landslides. As landslides are one of the main causes of road damage, especially in hilly areas, changes in construction methods are being brought in considering the future risks.
New engineering standards are also planned to be used in these renovation works. In a situation where natural events such as heavy rains, floods and landslides can cause more damage due to climate change, it is considered important to develop road structures to cope with them.
The World Bank’s Country Manager for Sri Lanka, Kevork Sargsyan, said that although the country’s transport links were severely affected by the cyclone, there was an opportunity to build an even stronger infrastructure through reconstruction.
According to him, the project is not just about rehabilitating roads. This includes restoring people’s livelihoods, reconnecting farmers to markets and making it easier for families to access essential services.
Benefits available to farmers and public
Roads are not just a path from one place to another. Especially for people living in rural areas, roads are directly related to their economic activities.
Transport facilities are necessary for farmers to transport their produce to markets and to purchase agricultural inputs. If the roads are damaged, it may not be possible to transport the produce to the market on time. This may affect the income of the farmers.
Around 22,000 tea, vegetable and paddy farmers are expected to be re-connected with markets and buyers through this World Bank programme. This will also help in getting the supply chain of agricultural products running again.
Also, around 5,671 new or improved jobs are expected to be generated through road reconstruction and maintenance activities. This may create an environment where employment opportunities will be available to the people in the cyclone affected areas.
It is estimated that more than 830,000 people will directly benefit from this scheme. Meanwhile, around 2 million people in eight districts could benefit from improved transport links, according to the World Bank.
According to the World Bank, Cyclone Titwa hit Sri Lanka in November 2025 and affected all 25 districts of the country. It is estimated that the total damage was about 4.1 billion US dollars and about 2 million people were affected.
The transport sector was also hit hard by this disaster. About 2,000 kilometers of provincial roads, over 3,500 kilometers of rural roads and about 700 bridges were reported damaged. Total recovery requirements for the transport sector are estimated at around US$ 1.31 billion.
New US$110 million in funding helps extend the World Bank’s Inclusive Connectivity and Development Project for another three years. This increases the total investment by the World Bank for Sri Lanka’s transport connectivity under this project to US$ 610 million.
The main focus of the fund is to rehabilitate roads and make them more resilient to future natural disasters. Thus, this project is an attempt to improve Sri Lanka’s transport infrastructure in order to repair the current damage and minimize the damage that may occur in the future.