Towards a more dynamic Colombo

Colombo may not be the country's administrative capital any longer, but it is the commercial hub and the most well known city. With Sri Lanka aspiring to become a commercial hub in the South Asian region and even beyond, it is time to give Colombo a makeover.

Many things are wrong with Colombo. Thus the Government's initiative to revamp Colombo is commendable. Different mechanisms may be offered to meet this objective, but the result should be the same - Colombo should get a new look. It should also get a dynamic, result-oriented new administration.

The authorities have recently rectified some of these glaring deficiencies in Colombo. Colombo's sidewalks used to be a 'paradise' for pavement hawkers and even the parking of motorcycles, but this is no longer the case now, the pavement hawkers have been provided with alternative accommodation in far more spacious surroundings and the sidewalks are once again free for their intended users - pedestrians. Many other unauthorised structures have also been removed, further beautifying the City.

Shanties are another problem that the authorities want to address. It is laudable that the authorities are planning to provide slum dwellers with better, permanent housing options. One such housing scheme was opened some time back in Dematagoda and more are on the way. A shanty-free city is a requirement for becoming a prime commercial hub.

The disposal of garbage has become a problem not only in Colombo, but also in most other cities. More garbage is collected with the exponential growth in the population and Colombo's floating population augments the problem. Uncollected garbage dumps really do not create a good image for the commercial capital in the eyes of foreign investors and visitors. Moreover, they are a health hazard. Disease-carrying mosquitoes breed in garbage dumps.

This should be a priority for Colombo's administrators. An effective garbage disposal program and policy is essential for Colombo. More environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions should be found for garbage disposal. More garbage bins should be provided for the public in Colombo. A program was launched a couple of years ago with much fanfare for the generation of bio-energy from garbage, but we do not know whether this program has been expanded. There should be more such initiatives.

Colombo is also vulnerable to flash floods even after a brief spell of heavy rain. This is unacceptable for a city that aspires to become a regional hub. Colombo urgently needs a flood prevention and mitigation program. There are many factors that lead to floods in the Colombo city limits, including garbage, blocked drains and manholes, unauthorised constructions and the filling of land. Many deaths due to floods have been reported in the recent past from Colombo. All impediments that hamper flood prevention in Colombo should be removed.

Colombo's traffic woes should also be addressed without delay. A large number of vehicles enters Colombo daily from all access points, creating massive traffic jams especially at rush hour. The recent duty reductions have seen a huge growth in car registrations, which has aggravated this problem.

Most of Colombo's roads have not been widened for a considerable period, which creates traffic bottlenecks at many vital junctions. With more cars on the road, road expansion, where possible, has become vital. More traffic signals should also be installed at places where they have still not been installed. It is also a pity that most cars entering the City have only one person. In some countries, such cars cannot enter the Central Business District without paying a surcharge.

Unfortunately, the luxury bus service introduced to wean away motorists from their cars has still not realised its full potential. Still, a world-class public transport system is the correct solution for reducing traffic congestion. Most motorists do not want to take a chance on overcrowded buses and trains. The solution could be a metro rail system, coupled with a cheaper luxury bus service. Plans have apparently been drawn up for a monorail system for Colombo and we hope it gets off the ground soon to give a better deal for the public in Colombo.

The other major problem pertaining to traffic is parking. In some places in Colombo, it is very difficult to find a parking slot even at off-peak periods. The authorities have called upon owners of bare lands in Colombo to provide their lands for parking (for a fee, of course). We hope there would be a good response to this call to ease parking worries.

In some cases, merchants have built shops without any room for parking, which creates unnecessary traffic jams. The provision of more parking slots and the implementation of a more effective parking policy are called for.

The authorities should also be concerned about pollution levels in the City. In addition to the air pollution caused by vehicle emissions and garbage dumps, Colombo is also saddled with noise pollution. There should be an improvement in Colombo's ambient air quality.

Posters also cause pollution in a way and it is heartening to note that 250 hoardings have been erected specifically for pasting posters. We hope that political parties, tuition masters and event organisers would strictly 'stick' to these hoardings and avoid walls of institutions and private residences. An ultimatum was earlier issued for the removal of all unauthorised hoardings as well, but it is not clear whether the directive was carried out. In any case, all such unauthorised hoardings must be removed.

Talking of hoardings, there is one kind of hoarding, or signboard, that Colombo needs more of. They are road markings and boards giving directions to motorists. They are non-existent is some key areas of Colombo. This makes life difficult for motorists and pedestrians, especially those who are not very familiar with the City.

However, the authorities alone cannot turn Colombo into a more vibrant and beautiful city. The public, even those who come to the city from other areas for work and other requirements, should think of Colombo as their own city and help keep it clean and beautiful. That will be a good start for Colombo's journey towards prime status among the world's cities.