Urban development goes on apace

The much-needed urban area development is moving to a new phase. Urban area development which was earlier done without proper planning, has now come into strategic focus under the Urban Development Authority (UDA).

"Changes began taking place after President Mahinda Rajapaksa handed over the UDA to the Ministry of Defence in 2010," said Chairman of the UDA Nimal Perera speaking to the Sunday Observer.

He said that the organisation which was once making immense losses was now getting back to its prestigious position.

Q: We see a drastic change in the Urban Development Authority and much activity taking place. What is the present aim of the UDA?

A: The changes started taking place after President Mahinda Rajapaksa brought the UDA under the Ministry of Defence in 2010 thus making that ministry known as the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development as we now know. Then the UDA started working under the leadership of Secretary to the Ministry Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Organised development in the urban areas of the country is our main responsibility.

The UDA was set up in 1978 and since its inception never made a profit. When the Defence Secretary took over, the carried forward loss was 1.8 billion in 2010. The UDA was on the verge of closing down. In 2011 we made a profit of Rs. 225 million.

Recoveries from rented out places and lands that belonged to the UDA was at a low level. By 2010 it was around 24% and under the guidance of Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa we were able to increase it to 90%, thus bringing us more income. We collected all our debts. We continue to earn profits using existing resources.

Q: Though the UDA was set up in 1978 urban development was not carried out in a proper way. It was so disorganised. How did this change? What was the turning point?

A: Coming under the Ministry of Defence was a huge turning point. It was methodical working with a Secretary like Gotabaya Rajapaksa who first observes the situation thoroughly and then plans the next steps to be implemented.

Even some in the UDA did not comprehend the vision of the UDA earlier. So many officials came and went and many thought this was only a regulatory body. That is in approving plans and giving a clearance certificate or gazetting a Pradeshiya Sabha area and such activities.

Demarcating urban areas in the country is also a part of the UDA responsibility but even that has was not done properly. I visited Gampaha district last week and in that area there are at least another three or four areas that need to be declared as urban areas. It has not happened in the past years.

Not even towns close to Colombo have been declared urban areas. How can one expect proper development in those townships? Now we are trying to gazette Kelaniya, Minuwangoda, Ja-Ela and such areas.

Slave Island development

The Urban Development Authority, to free prime lands in Colombo city for development activities, started resettling underserved families in a more decent environment within close proximity to their original place of residence. Construction work on around 15,000 house units is now in progress in different locations within Colombo city.

"The seed capital for this housing program was generated by the UDA through a debenture issue of Rs. 10 billion. Due to substantial costs involved in the construction of houses for resettlement of shanty dwellers, the UDA is exploring the possibility of getting private sector participation for development of such lands," said UDA, Deputy Director General, Planning and Operations, Weerasena Adikari.

It is under this concept that the development of prime lands in Slave Island in Colombo 2 is going to take place.

"The UDA has identified a block of land of around eight acres in Slave Island. This particular block of land had been fragmented into smaller pieces over the years and that resulted in disputed titles of those land plots. According to the survey carried out by the UDA, this block of land is congested with 456 residential units and nearly 100 non-residential units, some without even basic facilities," Adikari said.

The entire block is in a dilapidated condition.

"Even the residents cannot develop their lands as land titles were unclear and facilities were limited," he said. Therefore, the UDA's intervention was essential to clear out those bottlenecks and to use the land for high rise mixed development projects harnessing the maximum potential of this prime location in Colombo.

The plan

The UDA had collected details of those families in these lands through a series of discussions and awareness programs. The UDA has entered into an agreement with the families guaranteeing their rights to get houses in needed extents and of better quality. Almost all the families have agreed to renounce their rights to claim compensation for the respective land plots as they will be provided with permanent houses with all facilities within two to three years.

The UDA has proposed to pay them a monthly rent to vacate temporarily for a two-year period.

Under Gotabaya Rajapaksa's leadership we managed to expand urban development to several areas in the country. One stop shops were set up for the public as well as for investors. Many investors had given up being unable to get permits and clearance to launch a business.

It was so complicated for them to get a plan approved. So bringing in all the authorities to one place made this work less complicated and benefited the country.

A: Colombo was a dirty city then. Garbage was lying in piles everywhere. There were no dustbins to put garbage. Under the instructions of Secretary Rajapaksa all this came under a one system. He then organised the Environment Police to monitor the cities so that people do not pollute it with garbage. In addition to the Municipal Councils and Pradeshiya Sabha cleaning system he outsourced the cleaning to a few private companies with the sole aim of properly organising the cleaning system of Colombo city.

Q: A lot of changes are taking place in the country's commercial centre, the Colombo city. What is the plan and how would you describe the present situation?

A: Yes, a lot of changes were initiated specially with regard to pavement structures. Though certain concerned parties opposed we had to move out the pavement vendors as a lot of accidents were taking place with pedestrians being forced to walk on the road, specially in congested areas like Pettah. We were strictly instructed by the Secretary to ensure a separate place for the vendors to restart their businesses. And that was done in the heart of Pettah.

Now the pedestrians can use the pavements without walking on the roads and the businessmen can carry on their trade in a much better place.Apart from being the commercial capital Colombo has a number of heritage buildings constructed during Dutch and British era. They are icons of the city and have the potential of being of high commercial value.

When this came in to the attention of Secretary Rajapaksa he gave us the green light to renovate suitable buildings. The first one was the Dutch hospital. And now we are continuing with the Gaffoor building, and former Auditor General's building at Independence square.

We are refurbishing these keeping the same structure. And the former Marketing Department building in Colombo 7 is now being transformed in to a high end market place. And within a short period these will be open for businesses.

And now we are in the process of improving Janadhipathi Mawatha so that people will have a beautiful area to walk around the President house and garden - with open spaces and sceneries.

We plan to develop the Bank of Ceylon square as well - that is around the former Bank of Ceylon head office. The surroundings of the Office of the Inspector General of Police, Criminal Investigation Division will be developed to suit a high commercial area.

And we will start on the Grand Oriental Hotel which is in front of the Port. Located at a such a high profile spot, the GOH should be able to attract the high end market easily.

Q: The UDA is an income generating institute. How is this going to get revamped?

A: These renovated and newly constructed buildings and lands belonging to UDA will definitely bring a lot of income as these will be rented out to business ventures. That itself will be highly profitable.