Mega Plan To Upgrade Colombo
The government, under the Urban Development Authority (UDA), is planning to upgrade Colombo with new walkways, bridges, sanitation facilities, cleaner beach areas, playgrounds and jogging tracks.
There are two main components of the proposed MCUDP which will be implemented by Project Partner Agencies (PPAs), namely, the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC), Urban development Authority (UDA), Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), Sri Jayawardenapura-Kotte Municipal Council (SJKMC), Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council (DMMC), and Kolonnawa Urban Council (KUC) under the directions of the Project Management Unit (PMU) located in the Ministry of Defense and Urban Development (MOD & UD).
The first component, the flood and drainage management component, comprises four sub-components which are improvements to main canals and lakes, improvements to secondary canals, improvements and rehabilitation to storm water drainage, road improvements and other social and physical infrastructure.
The second component aims at strengthening institutional capacity for sustainable metropolitan and local infrastructure and service provision and support for project implementation.
Under the Metro Colombo Urban Development Project (MCUDP), the area surrounding Town Hall Square will be improved and the Crow Island Beach and Marine Drive beach will be cleaned and entrance gates will be setup together with a security hut, toilet facilities, parking, a waterfront court, children’s playground and seating arrangements.
New public toilets will also be opened in close proximity to the Galle Road and other selected locations in the city for the public and tourists.
“The Metro Colombo Urban Development Project and its successful implementation, together with other initiatives of the Government to develop Colombo, will help transform this city into a truly world class one”, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development Gotabaya Rajapaksa was quoted by the Ministry of Defence as saying last week.
MCUDP is a USD 223 million World Bank funded three year urban regeneration program aimed at reducing the physical and socioeconomic impacts of flooding in the Metro Colombo region and improving priority local infrastructure and services.
“The Metro Colombo Urban Development Project being launched today is a five year long undertaking that comprises three main components. The first main component addresses the various flood and drainage issues that the metro Colombo region suffers from because of its rapid, organic growth during the past several decades. Under this component, the city’s drainage infrastructure, including its micro drainage channels, primary and secondary canals and lakes will be rehabilitated,” Rajapaksa said.
A flood and drainage management system will also be in place as part of the project. This will include the financing of both structural and non-structural activities related to flood control and drainage management identified as a priority by the inter-agency Flood Mitigation Task force.
The investment packages under this component are essential and critical to reduce the impact of future floods in the catchment of the Colombo Basin. The bulk of the structural investments will be aimed to improve the system of primary and secondary canals, retention areas and drainage of the Colombo Water Basin. This component will also finance complementary interventions to enhance the economic value and aesthetic qualities of the water bodies.
This component will include the following four sub-components: (1.1) Primary and Secondary Canals and Lakes; (1.2) Micro-Drainage System within CMC (localized floods); (1.3) Institutional and Capacity Enhancement for Flood and Drainage Management; and (1.4) Beira Lake Development and Beddagana Bio-diversity Wetland Management Park.
Rehabilitation of the McCallum lock gates and the construction of bank protection walls with a linear walk around Beira Lake is also part of the project.
The main objective of this area based intervention is the protection of the shoreline of the lake from further deterioration, by constructing bank protection walls along 2.5 km of shoreline on the West and East Beira Lakes, and the preservation of the historic McCallum Lock Gates.
The project aims at complementing the flood reduction measures being taken through Component 1, while providing opportunities for urban regeneration along the East and West Beira lake waterfronts with public access to the lake along a linear path/promenade with an average width of six meters to be constructed, once the lake shoreline has been stabilized.
Currently, the lake is not accessible to the public due to inadequate bank protection and multiple uses along the shoreline. Once bank protection walls are constructed, a linear pedestrian path/promenade can be added on top of the protection walls, that will provide a natural connection of the East and West Beira Lake waterfronts with the already constructed walkways that connect to the South West Beira lake waterfront.
This will provide a contiguous recreation space within the core area of the city that has potential for private sector investment. A phased approach will be adopted for this component, whereby the first phase which has been divided into two sections will focus on stabilization of the lake shoreline and the preservation of the McCallum lock gates.
The second phase, will focus on the construction of the four kilometre linear path/promenade and nodal park along with foot bridges.
All losses as a result of implementation of the MCUDP will be compensated. The acquired properties will be compensated at replacement cost based on the prevailing market rates. In the sub-projects for which this short RAP has been prepared, only two shops (tenants) and one kiosk will be relocated.
The affected shops will be offered alternative accommodation and the kiosk, will be offered compensation, for the structure and relocation assistance; the temporary impacts will be addressed as per the EM and as explained in detail in the EMF.
HIGHLY APPRECIATED!THANKS!
When the LTTE war is back, this development will stop.
I just read elsewhere in this newspaper the following
“The much heralded economic spurt of Nivard Cabraal which was expected to be heading towards the stars is falling back to mother earth. The debts accrued by Chinese loans are now reaching the proverbial Chinese celestial heavens. Direct foreign investments are no longer spoken of, foreign exchange reserves are fast diminishing, the balance of trade gap is expanding and the poorer sections of the community are reeling after being clobbered by price hikes”
I say that SL is going down and going down very very fast though its third world drain of poverty.
Good well planned, sustainable, employment generating, economically sound, needs driven people friendly projects sould be welcomed and supported.
What Colombo need is a upgrade of the sewage system & a rain water draining system.
Without priorities to these beautifying colombo will be of no use.
read the article before you comment.
There is need for a discussion on what kind of urban development the residents of Colombo rather than the Defnes Secretary desires? We want a people and environmentally friendly model of urban develoopment.
At this time the question is: Why is the World Bank which likes to talk of “good governance” subsidizing the Defense Ministry by giving LOANS for projects of questionable value to the UDA run by Gotabaya Rajapakse and generating more debt for an already highly indebted country?
While flood prevention is welcome and some of the city beautification is good the latter is superficial development and is NOT people or environmentally friendly development.
The most pressing development priority for Colombo residents is a high quality integrated PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM of air conditioned trains and buses (following the Singapore model) . A good Public transport make for less environmentally polluting development.
Rather , Colombo is being turned into a CONCRETE JUNGLE for cars by unnecessary paving which also prevent drainage and makes for flooding , while Colombo’s old and beautiful tree canopy is being destroyed generating a heat trap and an environmental disaster.
The wrong kind of development which is not socially or environmentally friendly but capital intensive to turn Colombo into a play ground for the rich who drive in luxury cars and to enable Namal and his friends to indulge in car racing is on going and supported by the World Bank. This is finance capital friendly rather than people freindly urban development with kickbacks for those in the racket.
Finally, the WB like the IMF failed to prevent the Euro zone finacial crisis and today the poor in Greece find that they have to pay for the greed of the rich. These institutons are part of the problem of CRIMINAL ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE that has contributed to the global financial crisis. They should be shut down.
Tks and very good thoughts Dinuk but you must hide your Jealousy or Hateness when you write an article or a reply to a like this? oterwise those readers feel you too one of those criticises who does nothing but could see others wrong doings/mistakes etc etc. So from next chance pls try not to use any persons names or designations as the majority of our public know they do a good thing and only a few -about less than a 10% disagree for any kind of development -not that it’s good or correct but totally due to the dirty politics?? So continue your writing without those nature of criticising or/and you must show it atleast by sweaping your own garden/lane/road etc etc Always try to find the truth and not those waste of words of those doing nothing guys in the current opposition. We’ll be able to walk in Colombo with no obstacles -pls join it. Apprct your reasonable feed back. Cheers
Our Govts. that have been continuously corrupt are unable to use the resources available the country for development purposes. So they go for more and more loans from the IMF, World Ban, ADB, etc. The present Govt. which shouts from roof top of interference of international organisations is worst in this respect. The politicians and their agents do not care of the burdens they place on the people with more and more loans.
A proper mega plan can be done if Gotabaya is not involved. He is a mess.
All this is happening while more than 80% of the population is living under the poverty line. Feed your people first.
What’s SL debt comparing to US, UK and Europe? It is not even a peanut size. US alone indebted to $16 trillion and there is no way of paying other than upsetting middle east and taking their oil and giving them arms. Now it is Syria. US wild meat hunters are salavting from both end of the oral canal size of the war coming to them! Europe, yeah, I mean Europe – they have to go back to their old profession what they know their best: conquor, plunder and pillage of other countries. That’s how they survived centuries. Without that, their old habit they couldn’t last even a single century. That’s the absolute truth. Now they are doomed. US of course became world policeman by thenself and inavde other countries with bogus prentension, with their killing machine -destroy, destuction, mayham and loot and sell arms with their modus oprandai. And they look after UN for all the criminal activity they perform with pittence and to get the whitewash their criminalty. So we have guys like Gota to look after our country using his plans and brain. So let him work rather than typical sri Lankan style criticising people who are working for the masses. When somebody or government is working – this destructive elements starts their overtime and overdrive to pull him back! Get a life guys.
one of the best programs to emerge since the independence. One of the best govt. servants we have Mr GR. Keep up the good work Sir.
Great news!!! ideal if a metro train system added to city area later on as well….propably a skytrain system like in bangkok…will ease the traffic rapidly,….good luck!!!
These sorts of improvements are long over due and is worth admiration however the most urgent need for Dehiwala rate payers is sewerage drainage system covering the entire municipal area of Dehiwala Mt. Lavinia which is now available only to a small section of the residents in Dehiwala and almost everyone in Colombo city limit. Most Dehiwala residents are discriminated as few are enjoying this hygienic way of disposing human solid waste. unclean open drains and clogged canals in Dehiwala Mt. lavinia area breeds deadly mosquitoes and vermin that brings about deadly diseases. The household waste water is directed to open drains which runs in front of the houses and the solid waste is going into cesspits which are in most cases right at their doorsteps due to constraint of space. It will be highly appropriate if this long neglected facilities beneficial to the entire community is also included in this grand scheme as a priority.
BEFORE WE DO BEAUTIFICATION OF THE MEGA COLOMBO LET WE GET FOREIGN INVESTMENT , IT IS LIKE EARNING 10 RS AND SPENDING 20 RS , THIS IS NOT GOING TO DO GOOD IN THE LONG RUN , WE SHOULD ATTRACT FOREIGN INVESTMENT , THEN JOBS BEEN CREATED , THEREAFTER PEOPLE WILL HAVE ENOUGH EARNINGS TO SPEND , THEN YOU CAN SEE THE FACE LIFT OF ANY CITY WHERE THE PUBLIC WILL COOPERATE , BUT HERE MAJORITY ARE IN SEARCH OF GREENER PASTURES , WHILE BEING THIS HOW COME TO GIVE A MEGA PLAN TO UPGRADE , PUBLIC DISAGREE BUT , DO NOT SHOW THEIR EMOTIONS IN THEIR FACES , NEED TO UNDERSTAND THIS
Isn’t everyone in search of greener pastures ? Aren’t you ?
I agree with LIMA totally.
GoSL should wisely spend the hard earn foreign exchange by really hard working Sri Lankans abroad and those who cater the Tourists in the country.
The Rulers and their stooges are not only wasting the foreign exchange but keeping accounts in the western banks
With all the beautifician SL is still looking like a poor third world poverty stricken country. This is all on borrowed money whihc will ake millions of years to pay while the people starve with no proper transport or infrastructure.
How much is the interest payment sans the ‘podi cut eka’ for the rajapassa cartel