Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga yesterday advised the relevant authorities to expedite work on the Metro Colombo Urban Development Project in order to turn Colombo into a world-class city on par with other international cities.
He said that 99 percent of the project work has been completed so far with Rs.457 million in funds allocated this year for the remaining work of the project.There are 55 sub-projects under the Metro Colombo Urban Development Project. The Urban Development Authority, Sri Lanka Land Reclamation Corporation and Colombo Municipal Council jointly implement the project.
The Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Municipal Council, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council and the Kolonnawa Municipal Council will be covered under this project.The work on three pumping stations; the Ambatale Water Pumping Station, St. Sebastian North Lock Gates and Pumping Station and St. Sebastian South Pumping Station has already been completed under this project. The Minister said that the new Muthuwella Tunnel and Torrington Tunnel have also been constructed under this scheme.
The improvement of canals and canal diversion schemes and the development of Wetland Parks and linear parks were also done under this. Among them are the Kolonnawa canal turn, the Madiwela East canal turn, Beira Lake Linear Park and the Kotte Rampart Park.
The Kotte Rampart Wetland Park was opened to the public to mark World Urban Day which fell on October 31 last year. The amount spent on that project is about Rs.400 million.
“Minimizing floods in the Catchment areas of the Colombo Water Basin is the main objective of the Metro Colombo Urban Development Project,” Minister Ranatunga said.
The other objectives are to make Colombo a world-class city, create a healthy lifestyle, promote tourism and restore and maintain infrastructure.Under this project, infrastructure was also improved in areas in the environs of Colombo, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte and Kolonnawa Municipal Councils.
by Daily News Sri Lanka
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