aravava as recorded in historical sources is identified as Kanavava and was constructed by king Mahasen. After the construction of the tank the stream was known as van ela(spill) after which the area remained a dry valley for most part of the year. The bridge remained well peeved as it was not to the heavy value of water that ran for centavos with the long and heavy monsoon rains. This shows that the bridge was constructed prior to the construction of the tank. Modern Kanadaravava were seen today had been developed and expanded during historical time and also after the independence with several agricultural projects. This bridge had been constructed applying advanced technology with a saved knowledge in the construction field between1st century BC to 1st century AD (Vidanapathirana,2016).
Information about officials who had administered the maintenance of road is seen in some of the Early Brahmi inscriptions belonging to 3rd century BC. Pareka-adika one of such officers had donated a cave according to the 1st century BC cave inscription at Annaikutti-kanda in Mihintale. Ward paraka-adika has been identified as a road inspector by Paranavitana. In a contemporary inscription at Periyapuliyankulama in Vavuniya district an officer who had donated a cave identified it has official name as asa-adika is defined as the superintendent of horses. The past sivaka-adika is also associated with road administration. This official name is identified as the one who looks after and superintendent of palanquins and the royal chariot. There is evidence up to the 3rd century BC tue that the services related to road administration were conducted and supervised by officers appointed by the road king himself.
Defining the word mag-mahavaridentified in inscription belonging to the 8th century AD to the 10th century AD it could be imposed that they were the officers appointed to administer the work related to roads and high ways. Although the nature of their services is not clearly identified and it may be that they were examine the maintenance of roads as well as the control of theirs way laying those travelling up and down. Paranavitana in his definition about the ward mag-mahavar appearing as Tamaravava pillar inscription of Kassapa IV (724-730AD) rock inscription at Mihintale and Gonava-devala pillar inscription in Kurunagala district belonging to 9th century AD as un-officer employed look after the roads. The ward mag-mahavar encountered in the slab inscription of Mahinda IV (956-972 AD) at Mihintale is analysed by Wickremasinghe as people employed as labour to maintain high way and subsidiary road (Wickremesinghe, 1912). Ranawell present a contradictory explanation about the ward mag-mahavar acceding to him it is only a road tax levied from all road including the high way. Base on the contents Rambava pillar inscription of the 8th century AD, Paranavitana says that there were government officers worked upon looters.
There is evidence to say that, there was a tax collecting mechanise from carts transporting goods up and down and these taxes were stationed at city gate and entrances to villages. In Arthasastra there was a tax known as dvara-daka evade at entrance the villages, settlements and city gates. According to Badulla pillar inscription the 8th century AD. it was prohibited to collect taxes from every cats passing by other than from carts entering the trading village of Hopitigamuva. According by the 8th century AD there was a system where taxes were levied only from carts carrying goods for sale (Paranavitana,1933). Akind of an office had been setup the entrance of the villages and hamlets. Vimativinodani has mentioned about the kings who collected road taxes from carts transporting commercial goods. There was a systematic mechanism adopted to collect taxes at the entrance to cities limits. According to an inscription of the 10th century AD traced from the inner city of Anuradhapura, a tax has to be paid to the king from ever cart carrying commercial items passing the city limits and instructed in the above inscription from every sac