Ministers, Parliamentarians and other people’s representatives participated in ceremonies held in 1000 sites island-wide. Parallel to this 210 bridges already built under the programme were also declared open. The bridges now under construction will be ready for public use next year. Seventy-five percent of the country’s population live in rural areas.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa is directing the programme under the Mahinda Chinthana vision for bringing prosperity to villages by shortening the distance between the village and town through rural bridges.