Work on Megapolis from 2016

Megapolis Master Plan and Act next year:

By Ranil Wijayapala

The Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development is formulating the National Physical Plan, Megapolis Master Plan and the Megapolis Bill to kick start the commence implementation of the Megapolis Development Plan in early 2016, Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said.

A draft Megapolis Bill is to be presented to Parliament within the next two months. He said, it has become a prerequisite to formulate these plans and also the Megapolis Act to implement the megapolis development project. This will be supplemented by an Environment Impact Assessment process that would ensure sustainability of the proposed projects, he said. The Megapolis Plan will convert the unplanned Western Province into a major megapolis by 2030 with an estimated population of 8.4 million.

Minister Ranawaka said the basic plan will be initiated, addressing as priorities, the issues concerning traffic congestion, waste management and slum dwellers in urban areas. “We are currently holding discussions with the Local Government bodies such as the Colombo Municipal Council to identify priority areas for development under these three categories,” Ranawaka added. He added the original Megapolis Development Plan included a port city project to develop a land parallel to the Galle Face Green after reclaiming the sea in the south of Colombo harbour. This also proposes to take the Galle Face Green further to the south from its original place and develop a road parallel to the coast.