Colombo-Negombo main road blocked at Wattala by protestors demanding for LP gas – Reporter: adaderana.lk

Cotta Road, Borella blocked by protestors demanding for LP gas – Reporter: adaderana.lk

Road from Maligawatte to Panchikawatte blocked due to a protest by a group demanding for fuel – Reporter: adaderana.lk

I am sure most of our phones are flooded with such messages these days.

Have you ever wondered why people would resort to such an action as blocking a road? What good would it do for them to inconvenience the lives of many others?

Is it pure malice? Could it be that they want others to experience the same frustration and suffering they are going through?

Apparently not!

With a little digging I realised that there is fine strategic thinking at play here.

When the roads are blocked, the police arrive at the scene within a couple of minutes.

Once the police arrive they take the necessary action to ensure that the road is cleared as fast as possible,

This action could be to ensure that the gas dealer starts distributing gas they have in stock. This happens when the Gas is also distributed by the fuel station. These days they are too busy filling up vehicles to attend to selling gas as well. Other times, it could be to ensure that the gas cylinders are distributed in a fair and equitable manner amongst consumers. Instead of being hoarded to be sold later at black market prices.

Most of the time the action would be to simply inform people of the accurate time the fuel and gas delivery would arrive.

At first I would get angry every time I hear news of the roads being blocked. But now that I know there is more than what meets the eye I am impressed at the instinctual thinking of our fellow countrymen.