Dhananath Fernando, the Chief Executive Officer of Advocata Institute, shed light on the dire commuting situation faced by the Sri Lankan middle class residing in suburban areas surrounding Colombo. According to a tweet by Fernando, residents of Kadawatha, Kaduwela, Malambe, Maharagama, and Mount endure a minimum of three hours per day commuting to and from the city, effectively spending an entire month of the year stuck in traffic.

The startling revelation comes as a stark reminder of the ongoing transportation challenges faced by thousands of middle-class workers and families in these suburban areas. The increasing population, coupled with insufficient public transportation infrastructure and inadequate road networks, has contributed to the worsening traffic congestion around the capital city.

Fernando's calculation highlights the severity of the situation. Assuming an average of 22 working days per month, commuters in these areas spend a staggering 66 hours on the road every month. Over the course of a year, this amounts to an astonishing 792 hours, which is equivalent to approximately 33 days – an entire month of their lives spent trapped in vehicles.

The implications of such prolonged commuting hours on people's physical and mental well-being cannot be understated. The stress and exhaustion from spending long hours in congested traffic can lead to a decline in productivity at work and negatively impact family life.