The Emerging Beautiful Garden City Of Colombo
When I am not thanked at all, I’m thanked enough, I’ve done my duty and I’ve done no more.
- Henry Fielding, Tom Thumb the Great -
This column dedicated to the notion of making Sri Lanka the wonder of Asia turns its spotlight today on the emergence of Colombo as a beautiful garden city as Sri Lankan society would aspire from the beautification of the cities in Sri Lanka.
Walkways beside Galle Road
It is the duty of the media or the fourth estate to criticise or point out the faults of the regime in a constructive manner so as to rectify such errors in the public interest and also to pay tribute when the regime engages in services beneficial to the society in order to encourage such services. This column wishes to express its gratitude to the Secretary of Defense and Urban Development. Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his team of dedicated officers at the Urban Development Authority for the services rendered in transforming Colombo in to a beautiful garden city through the Metro Colombo Urban Development Project. The Secretary said that the ongoing development would see Colombo being transformed into a world class city that could be the centrepiece of Sri Lanka’s economic revival. He also said that at the same time, the Government would also develop cities and towns in the rest of the country but making Colombo a world class city remains a key priority of the Government. ( Ceylon Daily News, 12-03-2012).
The project envisages the creation of lush greenery and blue expanses of water existing alongside the built structures and mellowing the harsh urban landscape which has always being Colombo’s hallmark and the reason for it been called the garden city of the East by the 19th century British. The project is financed by the World Bank on a concessionary loan of USD 213 Million. Its aim is to make Colombo the pride of its citizenry. The objectives of the project are flood control and water front management, medium and small scale infrastructure development, institutional building up of local authorities, formulation of integrated strategic urban development plan for Metro Colombo and a feasibility study on solid waste management system.
The walls around the Cinnamon Gardens Police Station, Archives Department, the Race Course and many other government buildings have been demolished thereby improving their environment. Beire lake has been restored and linear and nodal parks have been set up. When one travels on the road behind the Temple-Trees the improvement is clearly visible with garden lights and garden benches being set up.
The Diyawanna Oya has been dredged and the road leading to the Parliament has been laid with pavements beautified with pink concreter terrace tiles. There are tall tress lining either side of the road giving shade. The land bordering the Diyawanna and the road leading towards the Water’s Edge Hotel has been planted with green grass and garden lamps and benches erected.
There are also tracks laid out for walking or jogging. In the evenings one can observe people including young couples seated on these benches and enjoying the clean and orderly environment. There are also boats with colourful sails sailing on the Diyawanna and one can obtain a boat ride for a fee. The playground near the Parliament is also being developed with a track running round the ground. The blue waters of the Diyawanna reflect the lights lit up on the further side of the Oya at night. It is really a beautiful sight, which helps to relax a stressful mind. The old Dutch Hospital in the Fort has been transformed in to a shopping arcade with many restaurants serving excellent cuisine. Creation of six lakes has commenced in the upper catchment area of the Parliament. There is new road erected behind the Parliament thereby easing traffic congestion. The soil from the dredging of the centres of the lakes are piled around the lakes thereby constructing the bunds which will be planted with green grass and garden lights and benches would be erected. These lakes would serve as catchment areas for excess water during the rainy season thereby preventing the flooding of the city.
There are also plans to improve the Town Hall square and to construct a water front recreational park in Crow Island. Pedestrian overhead bridges would be constructed at Bambalapitiya and Kollupitiya. Two lakes have been built near Talawatugoda Junction on either side of the Pannipitiya Road. There is a hawker market opposite the playground near the Parliament with stalls selling juices, hot dogs and various other items of food. During the evenings and nights these stalls have brisk sales. This column praises all the authorities who are responsible for these improvements to our city and calls upon them to keep up the good work.
As usual let me conclude with an amusing anecdote. Two businessmen went into a restaurant in the old Dutch Hospital in Fort and ordered two drinks. Then they produced sandwiches from their briefcases and started to eat .Seeing this, the waiter became agitated and informed them “Sorry, but you can’t eat your own sandwiches in here,” the two men looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and exchanged sandwiches.
How about the “garbage mountain” at Madampitiya?
True enough Colombo is becoming a garden city. Marshes are being dredged and cleaned without caring a tuppence for the vegetation, habitats of aquatic organisms, birds and mammals that lived therein. Has anyone done a study on them or has the government got an environmental impact assessment done before embarking on such destructive activities. Trees are cut down at will and planted with ornamental exotic species. TRUE ENOUGH SRI LANKA IS SLOWLY AND SURELY TURNING INTO A MONOCULTURE PLANTATION.
Well written article .I am pleaed to note that there are a few people who appreciate the hard ,constructive work done under the guidance of Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Of course ,the beautification begins in the Capital,and I am sure it will continue in the other parts of the country.
The present govt.has developed the country,give them credit.
May our beloved ,brave leader always prosper.
Yes, the beautification of the Colombo City is highly commendable. Thanks Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksha and the team!
Agreed. Positive results should be applauded.
I just cam to SL on holiday and saw dirt, filth and flys everywhere. While some parts looks ok, most of the city and surroundings are still in third world conditions.
Nagesh, Colombo cannot be as bad as Delhi. I was in Delhi and Mumbai, there were (human) excrement in footpaths, children begging along busy roads and railway stations, dirt everywhere. Surely, a few flies wouldn’t bother you. 60% Indians don’t have a toilet in their home. That is bottom of third world.
You must be holidaying in a slum area ??
mate, then go back lols
Still over 80% of the country live under the poverty line with no basic food, infrastructure or facilities that other third world countries have.
Gotabaya had lived long years in USA and he has enough knowledge about the green cities. CANADA adopts the GREEN CULTURE and harmonize and reconcile the PEOPLE with the NATURE>.To do that job the SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ISSUES should be given priority.
Betrayer says 50% is living under this “Poverty Line”…. Dingo (how apt!) says 80%….. all in the same day too !!!
Of course, no one know what this imagined “Poverty Line” is or has ANY shred of evidence of how many people actually live under it
What can you expect from a carrion feeding dog anyway …?
Hey Dingo! It should be 23%.
http://www.theodora.com/wfbcurrent/sri_lanka/sri_lanka_economy.html
Nagesh…..mate I think u may have taken the wrong flight and landed in India!
go to the world bank or the IMF or any data statistics web site and learn something for a change before u speak !! even afghanistan will not have more than 80% below the poverty line :p
Beautification is fine. In fact it must be praised provided its in the genuine interest. If it is for evacuate habitat in the name of beautification there will be serious repurcussions sooner or later and its unethical. Colombo from the tourist poin of view is a dead city. There is no night life or any livelyness after 21h00 hours. Kandy is even worse after 7pm, Kandy is burried, cant even find a cafe to have a cup of tea or coffee. So its good that some development taking palce in the capital.
Attorney Keerthisinghe you must be kidding by asking the journalists to point out or criticise the regime when some thing is wrong. Havent you heard about the regime sponsored white van? Ask a kid next door, I gurantee you that he or she would give some info about it. There are few media keep prasing the regime from dawn to dusk everyday in any case.
Making a beautiful garden city in Colombo is wonderful. With the same energy why not make this city a White Van free nation too . It will then be really beautiful.
gardens in lanka can be a delight with good weather little water if vandalism garbage throwing a no no .it is absolutely essential growth of minimum of trees shrubs essential to protect environment for shade. additional needs include encourage public to use it wisely good thoghts and need to guard it for continuing lushness
sri lanka is a 3rd world country
And ur point is???? so what just bcoz we are classified as a Third World Country arent we allowed to keep our public places clean, tidy and hygienic!, gosh u must be one of those people who never see anything froma positive light!
DEAR MR.PISSA,DID YOU KNOW THAT THE SO CALLED DEVELOPED COUNTRIES ARE IN DEBT, FOR EXAMPLE THE USA HAD RECEIVED A LONG TERM LOAN OF US $800BILLION FROM CHINA & THAT MOST OF THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES ARE IN DEBT,GREECE,SPAIN,PORTUGAL ITALY ETC..FRANCE STARTED TAKING LOANS DURING THE PRESIDENCY OF GEORGE POMPIDOU & ITS CURRENT DEBT IS AT US$ 1700 BILLION,& PLEASE DONT BE SO PESSIMISTIC ABOUT SRILANKA ,YOU ARE NOT ONlY BRINGING YOUR SELF DOWN BUT THE OTHERS AROUND YOU,BUT OF COURSE WHEN A PERSON CHOOSES A PSEUDONYM LIKE “¨PISSA”,WHICH MEANS MAD HATTER IN SINHALESE,IT SHEDS A LITTLE MORE LIGHT TO YOUR WAY OF THINKING,& WILL NOT SURPRISE ANYONE.
sri lanka is a third world country
@Nagesh,
You will see dirt and filth anywhere in the world if you look for it. The point here is to appreciate moving forward.
@Dingo,
Your statistics are flawed or perhaps you wish it upon Sri Lanka, either way your comment is ignorant.
The govt has many flaws but like this article suggests credit should be given where its due.
SL is a ‘developing country’ and is well above the others in the region interms of all key indicators. No country in history has suddenyl become ‘developed’ and it takes time and action. SL is on the right track. Just look at where Korea was then and now. Negative mindset gets you nowhere!
We as a country must seriously think about Mosquito menace and how to
eradicate dengue. if we compare to Singapore, Malaysia , we don’t
any threat but Colombo..again government should divert this development to
Piliyandala, Moratuwa,Paliyagode and towards Awissawella…
It is very refreshing to see an article praising the positive work being done by the govt rather than always reading about the negative. However, I would also like to respond to all who have commented above, as the saying goes, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’. Although it is true that the country has many shortcomings, why not try to be positive about the little good that is being done and make an effort to change the bad. Complaining and critisizing never helped anyone. “Change yourself, to change the world”
Colombo city is comprised of fifteen divisions.Galle road and other said areas in this
article are not very difficult areas to develop to a beautiful standard because of space
availability and these areas only needed some attention and that has happened.So
it’s good to praise.There are some equally important parts of Colombo, like Pettah,
Maradana Borella and Dematagoda that need similar and urgent development
development plans.Pettah on a rainy day is stinking because of stagnant water.
Yes, whilst this beautifiction of all of these areas is good, please don’t do these renovations for the tourists. Sri Lanka should be trying to improve everyday living situations for its population in Colombo and all around the Island. Everyone deserves to walk on a footpath, have good pedestrian bridge crossing which minimise danger for crossing the road.
Singapore is a good example of a large urban population with good infrastructure that caters for the community. Take a leaf out of their book and implement some of their ideas.
Too much traffic chaos is Colombo’s problem. Kaduwella, Battaramulla, Malabe are nightmares to drive, shop and get about in.