A signature campaign was launched in Mannar this week, calling on Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake to take immediate steps to reopen the main road linking Mannar to Puttalam via Ilavankulam. The signature drive was organised by the Action Committee formed to facilitate the reopening of the Mannar–Ilavankulam–Puttalam main road, which lies within the Musali Divisional Secretariat Division. The campaign sought to exert public pressure on the Dissanayake to release the road for civilian use and restore public access along the key transport route. Organisers stated that the closure of the road has caused long-standing hardship for residents of the Mannar District, restricting mobility and compounding economic difficulties in an already marginalised region. They further stressed that the impact of the road closure extends beyond the fishing community, affecting all residents of the district.