Thondamannar Bridge தொண்டைமானாறு பாலம் | |
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| Coordinates | 9°49′0″N 80°10′0″E / 9.81667°N 80.16667°E |
| Carries | Motor vehicles and pedestrians on the AB21 Highway in Northern Province, Sri Lanka |
| Crosses | Vadamarachchi Lagoon |
| Locale | Valvettithurai, Jaffna District |
| Maintained by | Road Development Authority |
| History | |
| Construction start | 1947 |
| Construction end | 1953 |
| Location | |
Thondamannar Bridge(Tamil: தொண்டைமானாறு பாலம், Thondamanaru Palam) is a road and pedestrian bridge on the Jaffna - Point Pedro highway across the Vadamarachchi Lagoon near the Valvettithurai town of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. It was built in 1953[1] and destroyed in 1987, and rebuilt afterwards in 2004.
The Thondamannar Bridge was primarily used as a barrage since the beginning of its construction period to prevent sea water entering the Vadamarachchi Lagoon that serves as a primary water source for several villages in the neighborhood.
The Barrage was destroyed in 1987 when it came under fire from the Sri Lankan Army.[2]
The sluice gates before its destruction played a dual role not only preventing seawater entering into the villages but also allowing the floodwater flowing from the land-side into the sea during rainy season.[2]
The bridge along with the barrage was rebuilt by the Department of Irrigation in 2004 and now serves the Jaffna - Point Pedro highway, a key link in the Jaffna District and the Northern Province.[2][3]
References
- ↑ "A river for Jaffna – the Arumugam Plan". Retrieved 2013-06-19.
- 1 2 3 "Thondamannar sluice gate to be reconstructed". Retrieved 2013-06-19.
- ↑ "A River for Jaffna". Retrieved 2013-06-19.