Facelift for Galle Road with WB funds
by Ranil WIJAYAPALA
 The
remaining section of Galle Road within the Colombo city limits and
Duplication Road will be brought on par with the Galle Road in
Kollupitiya at a cost of Rs. 2.5 billion as part of the World Bank
funded project to improve infrastructure within the greater Colombo
area, Colombo Mayor A.J.M. Muzammil told the Sunday Observer.
“We will go ahead with the other Galle Road and Duplication Road
development projects with World Bank funding next year”, he said.
There are many components to the project and the Colombo city and the
Metropolitan area will benefit under this project, he said. “The
immediate infrastructure development component is about Rs. 2.5 billion
for the Duplication Road, Galle Road walk-ability improvement and public
convenience improvement”, he said.
Two pedestrian overhead bridges will also be constructed at
Bambalapitiya and Kollupitiya under this project to facilitate
pedestrians to cross the road without any hassle.
Improvements to the beach front will also be completed under this
project by developing beach parks for leisure at the Marine Drive and at
Crow Island.
“The frontrunners of the project will be the Galle Road and
Duplication Road walk-ability improvement and public convenience”, he
said.
The design and construction supervision consultancy contract has been
already awarded and the designs will be completed in four months.
Construction work will commence in six months. “We have also have a
target date for completion because the Commonwealth Heads of States
conference will be held in October 2013. We need to complete the project
by then”, he said.
He said the Colombo city and the Greater Colombo area will receive Rs.
15 billion for infrastructure development, such as canals development,
linear parks around the Beira Lake and micro drainage improvement in 15
locations in the Colombo city as flood mitigation measures.
|
