Thondamannar Bridge

9°49′0″N 80°10′0″E / 9.81667°N 80.16667°E / 9.81667; 80.16667CarriesMotor vehicles and pedestrians on the AB21 Highway in Northern Province, Sri LankaCrossesVadamarachchi LagoonLocaleValvettithurai, Jaffna DistrictMaintained byRoad Development AuthorityHistoryConstruction start1947Construction end1953Location

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]

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