2010 The year of development

By Shirajiv SIRIMANE

The year 2009 will go down the annals of Sri Lanka as the year in which the 30-year conflict was ended with a humanitarian operation. This year (2010) can be termed as the year in which the biggest development projects got off the ground.

Sri Lanka's development history is notorious for laying foundation stones that are made to gather dust for several years.

However, this common cycle was reversed during this year and even projects that had been confined to foundation stones or just proposals not only got off the ground, but some actually commenced operations.

The Ruhunu Magampura Mahinda Rajapaksa International Port is an example of a project that saw the light of day in 2010. The first stage was commissioned in November and the contracts were signed for the second stage as well.

This port proposal was first discussed way back in the 1950s and then again in the 1990s by then Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

However, the proposals were only confined to discussions and the project really got moving after Rajapaksa became President.

This is a services and industrial port and would be a boon to Hambantota which is one of the areas with the lowest per capita income in Sri Lanka. The total construction cost of phase one of the project is US$ 361 million of which 85 percent has been funded by the Exim Bank of the People's Republic of China.

Colombo-Matara highway	Ranmihitenna Tele Cinema village                          Pic: Shanika Sriyananda

It is envisaged that many of the 4,500 oil tankers plying the route would anchor in Hambantota for bunkering, repairs and to purchase food, water and medical supplies and for logistics. It is expected that at least 20 percent of the shipping traffic, mainly oil tankers, would call over at the Hambantota Port.

Two shipping lines transporting fertiliser are already calling over at Hambantota while many other shipping lines would add the port to their international route network next year.

Hambantota Port also boasts several unique global achievements which Sri Lanka can be proud of. It is the world's biggest harbour constructed on land during this century. When completed, the Hambantota harbour, on 4,000 acres of land, could accommodate 33 vessels to berth at any given time, which would make it the biggest harbour in South Asia.

One of the other significant features is that since it is built inland, the Sri Lankan map too would change in the future.

President Rajapaksa, at the opening of the port, said the Colombo Port too is being developed and land would be claimed from the sea for this purpose.

The proposed 15-storey administrative complex for the port, which could even withstand a tsunami, would also be one of the best designed shipping structures in the SAARC region.

Never in Sri Lanka's history had there been plans to construct five international harbours and this plan is now being put to work.

In addition to the new Ruhunu Magampura Port and the development of the Colombo Port expansion project, the Oluvil dual purpose harbour is to be opened next year while the Galle harbour would be converted to a tourist harbour. Both Trincomalee and KKS harbours too would go through a rapid development drive.

Upper Kotmale on track

President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the opening of the tunnel in upper Kotmale.

Another project that should have been commissioned many years ago but had been almost abandoned due to political pressure was the Upper Kotmale Hydro Power Project.

However, with the bold decisions taken by the present Government, the much awaited and long overdue 12.9 kilometre tunnel of this project was opened last month. More than 70 percent of the project has now been completed and it is expected to be commissioned next year. The project will add 150MW to the National Grid.

Another major project that was in the pipeline for three decades confined to the discussion stage, was the Moragahakanda and Kalu Ganga multi-purpose irrigation scheme. It is also the biggest single development project under the Mahinda Chinthana program.

Today, 40 percent of the work has been completed while resettlement too is being completed. The Moragahakanda and Kaluganga Development Multi-faceted Mega Irrigation Project will cost Rs. 4.8 billion.

Meanwhile, over 85 percent of the construction work of the Deduru Oya multi-purpose irrigation project has been completed. This includes the dam, sluice gates and the spillover area. The project, estimated to cost Rs. 6.2 billion will provide water for irrigation for over 27,000 acres. It will also provide drinking water for 50,000 families while also generating 1.5 megawatts of power.

Deduru Oya is the largest irrigation project in the North-Western Province.

China is to construct the 35 MW Broadlands Hydro Power Project over the Kelani River located in the Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces. The cost of the project will be US$ 82 million. The project will add 35 MW of power to the national grid.

Millions of rupees have also been invested in the North and East to provide electricity.

Norochcholai

One of the other main development projects that had been stalled for almost a decade was Sri Lanka's first coal power project, the 90 Mega Watt Norochcholai power plant. This was not only constructed during this year, but was also commissioned for coal firing. The Norochcholai coal power project is expected to be opened in January.

The newly set up Mullaitivu Electricity Supply Scheme, built at a cost of Rs. 170 million, was opened by Power and Energy Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka.

The pledge given by the Ceylon Electricity Board is 'Electricity for all by 2012' and the development projects that are now in progress indicate that this goal could be achieved before the target date.

Highways to open

The Colombo Galle Highway would open next April, taking passengers to Galle in less than one and a half hours. Under the second phase, it would be extended to Matara and the total travel time would be less than two hours.

Similarly, plans are under way to connect Colombo and Kandy via a highway and construction has already begun.

Under the Gama Neguma program, nearly half of the 11,700 km of national road network was re-developed including in the North and East. Construction of the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway project, which too had been in the pipeline since 1976 (for the Non Aligned Summit) is now nearing completion.

When completed, the 25.8 km expressway would take a passenger to the Katunayake airport in just 45 minutes. The US$ 292 million project is being funded by the Chinese Government.

The Hambantota Port sea water filling ceremony

Construction of the flyovers in Nugegoda, Dehiwela and Orugodawatte too were significant developments that took place this year.

The year also saw the introduction of a luxury train service to the Colombo Airport from Colombo Fort.

Second airport to open in 2013

The aviation sector is going through a major development drive and work on the second international airport at Mattala is now surging ahead.

The Mattala International Airport will be one of the biggest airports in South Asia.

The opening of the airport would create over 15,000 employment opportunities and help eliminate poverty progressively in area such as Hambantota. The infrastructure facilities that would be created would be an asset not only to Hambantota, but also to other neighbouring districts.

SriLankan Airlines became a fully Sri Lankan venture with the purchase by the Government of 43 percent of the shares held by Emirates, increasing the Government stake in the national carrier to 94.6 percent. The balance 5.4 percent shares belong to SriLankan Airlines employees.

Moragahakanda - Kalu Ganga Reservoir Project

Both the Colombo and Ratmalana airports too are going through a major expansion drive while plans are afoot to develop domestic airports.

Iranamadu has been earmarked for the construction of an international airport, in the third stage of its development.

Local artistes also thanked the Government for creating one of South Asia's largest tele cinema villages, Ranmihitenna in the deep south.

This multi-million dollar village, with an extent of 235 acres, was opened this year and has already seen several tele films being shot at the venue.

Developments in the health sector too were significant and were among many other infrastructure development projects introduced during 2010, leading the country towards becoming the Wonder of Asia.