Hamilton Canal to be rehabilitated [February 09 2013]

Plans will be drawn to rehabilitate a segment of the old Dutch-built Hamilton Canal with the intention of improving the livelihood of the residents of the area and promote tourism.

The Land Reclamation and Development Corporation has undertaken the rehabilitation of an 8.7 km segment of the Hamilton Canal, from Ma-Oya to the Negombo lagoon. The work is nearing completion. The Department of Town and Country Planning of the University of Moratuwa has prepared a development plan for the remainder of the canal, a 14 km segment from the Negombo lagoon to the Kelani Ganga estuary (Hekiththa).

Approval was granted by the Cabinet last week to a proposal by Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa to hand over the rehabilitation of the remaining segment to the Land Reclamation and Development Corporation.

The Hamilton Canal was built by the Dutch and finished by the British in 1802 for the transportation of goods. It extends from the Kelani river to the Negombo lagoon and continues northwards to the Puttalam lagoon.