Smart city dreams

As megapolis plans begin to take shape:

by Ranil Wijayapala

A megapolis (megalapolis) plan is underway to develop the Western Province into a 'Smart' city in keeping with the idea of going 'smart'. Once the megapolis plan gets off the ground it is expected to solve many of the issues affecting the city- from transport to sewerage to environmental pollution, in addition to the city being less of a burden to State coffers.

The Western Province, is the highest populated province in the country, home to more than 28 percent of the population. Even under British rule there were many attempts to transform the Province and convert it to being a prominent region not only in Sri Lanka but also in the Asian region.

In 1921, Sir Patrick Geddes an Englishman made an attempt to make the City of Colombo 'The Garden City of the East' by developing Colombo city and making the Colombo port its hub. The Colombo port was ranked the fifth best performing port in the world and was the third best performing port under British rule and this made many changes in the city.

Then, again in 1949 there was another attempt to develop Colombo city, addressing the issue of shanty dwellers and developing satellite towns to decentralize the Colombo population. In the 1970's in preparation of the Non Align Summit, Colombo city was reshaped to accommodate world leaders attending the summit.

Free Trade Zones

In 1978, a comprehensive plan was mooted to develop the Western Province by setting up Free Trade Zones in Katunayake and Biyagama, while improving the Colombo port and also the Katunayake International Airport. In 1985, there was another change to shift the administrative buildings in e Colombo city to Sri Jayawardenapura, Kotte and Battaramulla.In the late 1990's, the Colombo city development plans were reviewed to address the issue of traffic congestion in the city and develop it as a modern city to face the 21st century challenges and requirements. After the end of the internal conflict in 2009, the entire Western Province region was given a facelift with city beautification projects and measures taken to control floods within the city.

Now, for the first time, the government is laying emphasis for the development of the Western Province, which contributes nearly 60 percent of the GDP of the country by setting up a Megapolis Development and Western Development Ministry focusing on the Western Province region development.

"Through this Ministry, we expect to transform the entire western area into a smart type of city. It is not just a city but a complex city known as a megapolis. That is what we are basically working for", Minister Champika Ranawaka said explaining the concept behind the megapolis development,.

As we are living in an internet-driven world, there is a need to transform things into smart versions to control from a single location via internet. The concept of the megapolis development is also centred around that concept - to convert cities into smart cities.

"We have smart buildings, where we can control power supply, water supply, air-conditioning, sewage system, parking areas and also security via computers. Likewise we also have smart cities where we can control facilities and utilities like garbage, sewage, water, energy, traffic or even crimes via the internet. Similarly, we are targetting to transform the Western Province into a smart city," Minister Ranawaka added.

Smart buildings

Therefore, important buildings in Colombo city will be developed as smart buildings at the initial stages of the megapolis development.

According to Minister Ranawaka the megapolis plan was originally designed in 2001 during theRanil Wickremasinghe administration by a Singaporean company and it identified the Port city to be developed parallel to the expansion of the Colombo port and also to develop other cities.

"However, in the earlier plan, the environmental factor was not properly addressed and we are now trying to have strategic environment assessment on this plan before implementing it. We are also considering the other development plans to harmonize with this plan. Thereafter, we will have a Zoning System in the Western Province such as Residential Zones, Commercial Zones, and Administrative Zallyones", Minister Ranawaka added.

The zoning system will include Environmentally Sensitive Zones, Residential Zones, Industrial Zones, Population Hub and Transportation Hubs. "We identified a few mega zones. One is the Port City and the area around the Colombo port will be developed in respect to the port development. The aero-city will be developed from Katunayake to Minuwangoda by setting up another air strip including the Katunayake Free Trade Zone. Almost all the facilities relating to the aviation business will be relocated in aero-city", the Minister added. According to the megapolis development plan, Kottawa, Kaduwela and Kadawatha will be developed as administrative cities and administrative buildings will be shifted to the outer periphery of the Colombo city. The development of the transport hub connecting the main transport modes, the central bus stand in the Pettah and the Fort railway station will also be developed under this plan.

"A Tech City will be developed from Malabe to Homagama. Almost all the technical and scientific institutions and advanced technologies, gene technology, nano technology, bio-technology and basic engineering institutions will be relocated in the Tech city, the Minister added.

"We have also identified two new Industrial Zones- Horana and in Mirigama to be developed under this plan.

The development plan will include developing plantation type cities in Avissawella and Mathugama, taking the development plan into the inner periphery of the western province.

"Focusing more on the tourism industry. Negombo and Maggona will be developed as tourism cities", the Minister added.

The megapolis development plan will initially focus on addressing the shanty dwellers issues, the improvement of traffic management and waste management system in the province.

The Urban Development Authority will handle the problem of shanty dwellers, while the Presidential Secretariat will address waste management.

President Maitripla Sirisena has submitted a Cabinet paper proposing an apex body to handle waste management as individual institutions in isolation cannot handle this issue alone.

Traffic problem

"We have to address the transport problem and have a proper public transport system. The number of private vehicles are increasing on a monthly basis because there is no proper public transportat system. If the traffic problem is not brought under control, the country will suffer immensely and eventually the economy will collapse", the Minister added. The megapolis development will focus on resolving the issue of public transportation by considering proposals for a Bus Rapid Transportation system and also an elevated rail network to provide an efficient public transportation system.

"At the same time we need to have a road network plan and control the number of vehicles entering the city. We need solutions to address this issue", the Minister said. To implement the Megapolis Development Plan under a proper legal mechanism, a Megapolis Development Authority Bill will be presented in Parliament to set up a Megapolis Development Authority. Once the megapolis development activities will get off the ground within a legal framework of the Megapolis Development Authority, the Minister added.

Minister Ranawaka said though the megapolis development is focused on the Western Province, it must be ensured that it will not suck all the resources. Strategic cities like Galle, Kandy Anuradhapura, Jaffna and Trincomalee will be developed parallel to the megapolis development plan.

"This is some kind of enhancer for the development in other provinces also. If we can transform the Western Province into a Megapolis, we can eradicate poverty in the country", the Minister added. "We hope that in the first quarter of next year, we will be able to set up the Authority and launch the development plan to attract investors," the Minister said.