Bridging the digital divide: how and why the Road Development Authority should be aligned with Sri Lanka’s digital economy Blue Print

Abstract

This study examines the strategic alignment of Sri Lanka’s Road Development Authority (RDA) with the national Digital Economy Blueprint, focusing on the institutional transformation required to modernise transport governance. This study adopts a qualitative approach, incorporating twelve in-depth stakeholder interviews alongside comparative analyses of digital governance models in Singapore, Estonia, and India. These sources provide a rich foundation for examining the RDA’s institutional alignment with Sri Lanka’s Digital Economy Blueprint. The matic analysis revealed persistent barriers to digital adoption, including limited digital literacy, fragmented inter-agency coordination, and constrained financial resources. In response, this study proposes a phased implementation roadmap encom-passing foundational IT infrastructure, AI-powered traffic management systems, and integrated e-governance platforms. By contextualising global best practices within Sri Lanka’s regulatory and operational landscape, the paper offers a policy-relevant framework for advancing sustainable, citizen-centric mobility solutions.