The Sunday Standard

Vestiges of Bridge on River Kwai in Danger of Being Wiped Out

A government plan to build a power plant nearby river Kwai will lead to the blasting of the site.

P K Balachandran

Vestiges of a bridge, which was erected over the Kelani river at Kithulgala—92 km from the Sri Lankan capital—for the shooting of the iconic Hollywood film Bridge On The River Kwai 60 years ago, are now in danger of being wiped out, causing dismay among film buffs. A government plan to build a power plant nearby will lead to the blasting of the site and the annihilation of the last remains of the bridge which are a major tourist attraction. “The bridge which was constructed for the film was blown up as per the script, but vestiges of it in the form of iron bars and concrete slabs have remained to attract people from across the world,” said Lankan film maker Chandran Rutnam. While Rutnam is hopeful that Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, will accept his suggestion, the White Water Rafters’ Association is not sure if rafting, a tourist attraction in Kithulgala, can be saved.

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