Hambantota to be Lanka’s best planned city

By Shirajiv Sirimane

The venue for the Commonwealth Games, Suriyaweva Stadium

The book ship Logos Hope at Ruhunu Magampura Harbour.

The oil tank farm at the Ruhunu Magampura Harbour

The solar park

Just two or three decades ago, the only tarred road leading to Kataragama was confined to single file traffic. By next year Hambantota would have four flyovers. The four-lane carpeted road around the harbour would be expanded to six lanes, envisaging the future economic activity in the city.

The southern town of Hambantota, currently witnessing a spate of development activities, is set to witness the construction of Sri Lanka’s biggest investment zones at its port site - its size being almost equal to all investment zones in the country put together.

Undoubtedly, the first major development project that put Hambantota in the global investment map was the Ruhunu Magampura harbour. Subsequent to the construction of the harbour, over 100 hectares were allocated for an investment zone. Tenders were called for and over 70 investors responded of which 14 were finally shortlisted. The total amount pledged was one billion US dollars.

Chairman Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Dr. Priyath Wickrama said investment proposals for the second stage would be called in October. They are looking to secure investments to the country to the value of five billion US dollars by 2015, including for projects in the Colombo and Trincomalee harbours. “This would enable them to pay back the loan with ease,” Dr. Wickrama said adding that modifications were done to the entry point of the port while further dredging was carried out to enable even larger ships to enter the harbour.

Commenting on the negative propaganda, he said the private sector is very cautious when making investments and if there were rocks or ships were unable to sail to the Ruhunu Magampura Port, they would not have invested one billion US dollars on the project. “The private sector would not take risks,” he said.

No red tape

He promised that the red tape would be minimal at the Ruhunu Magampura Port and even a truck driver would be able to collect the cargo unlike at the Colombo Port where a person has to visit 13 different places before getting the cargo released.

The tank farm project and administrative building at the Hambantota Port would be some of the key features of this development project.

The bunkering facility and tank farm project will consist of 14 tanks that will offer a total capacity of 80,000mt.

Eight tanks will be used for bunkering while the other six will be utilised, three each, as aviation fuel and LPG tanks.

The project will cost US$ 76,581,774 and China Huanqiu Contracting and Engineering Corporation Works would be the contractor.

“The key to the success of this project is the online facility we would be introducing at the Ruhunu Magampura Harbour”, Dr. Wickrama said.

The city would be linked to the port by the extension of the highway from Matara and the rail link to Hambantota too would be a reality.

Chairman Airport and Aviation Services Ltd., Prasanna Wickramasuriya said the Hambantota International Port project is on schedule and aircraft would be able to land by November 2012.

The passenger terminal could accommodate 10,000 passengers and the airport will have the capacity of handling 45,000 metric tons of cargo, he said. The Government plans to complete all basic facilities and requirements including the runway, taxiways and parking facilities for 10 aircraft in the first phase of the Mattala Airport at a cost of US$ 210 million (Rs.23 billion) with financial assistance from the Chinese Government.

Solar park

The Buruthakanda Solar Park will be the first and only commercial-scale solar power station in Sri Lanka.

The first stage of the project will be financed by the Japanese Government while the Korean Government will finance the second stage. Japan has already provided Rs. 1,024 million for the first stage under which 737 KW of power will be added to the national grid upon completion. Work relating to the construction of the first stage is expected to be completed by August next year.

The second stage of the power garden which will open in April will add 500 KW of power to the national grid. Solar panels are now fixed in an area of over two acres in Hambantota. The park, when completed, would add 1.2 megawatts to the national grid. The total investment on this project by both Korea and Japan is US$ 13.4 million with the Japanese Government investing US$ 8.9 million.

Commonwealth Games

Hambantota is looking forward to hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the bid would place Hambantota as a focal point in the world sporting arena. “Since the surprise decision in April 2010, Hambantota has moved from rank outsiders to serious contenders and is growing increasingly confident ahead of success at the Commonwealth Games Federation Assembly in St Kitts and Nevis on November 11, where the host city will be chosen”, an Astralian newspaper said.

“There is a general feeling that emerging countries should also be given the opportunity. There are more countries like us who can emerge and do well,” Chairman Organising Committee, Ajith Nivard Cabraal said.

He said the bulk of the funding for the Games would come from the private sector. The Games Village is designed as six interlinked clusters of tropical medium-rise living, set amidst a garden oasis of boulevards, plazas, dense planting, green belts and water features, reflecting Sri Lanka’s lush, green environment.

Three of the six clusters will be privately developed and sold as condominiums. The other three clusters will be privately developed as student accommodation for the on-site university.

The student accommodation will be developed on the basis of the condominium design to avoid disparity in provision. It will be developed as investment property for student living as well as for employees of the business and IT park and university.

All apartments will be air-conditioned and will be fully furnished with amenities such as televisions, refrigerators, electric kettles, washing machines, irons and ironing boards. All residential entrances, corridors and lifts will be fully accessible for wheelchair use.

Free fibre-optic telecommunications and local wireless networks will be available throughout the residential areas, with internet connections available in the apartments. Each apartment will also be fitted with cable TV. MP Namal Rajapaksa told the Sunday Observer that the infrastructure for the Games would be put to maximum use afterwards.

Zoological gardens, a mini outdoor zoo, and modern administration building too are being constructed in Hambantota which would be Sri Lanka’s most carefully planned city.