Megapolis to kick-start on Jan 29
by Ranil Wijayapala
The much awaited launch of the Megapolis Development Plan, the
flagship development initiative of the government will take place on
January 29 at the Independence Square Colombo, Secretary to the
Megapolis and Western Region Development Ministry, Nihal Rupasinghe,
told the Sunday Observer.
The project will unveil opportunities for local and foreign investors
to invest in the projects which are derived from the Megapolis Master
Plan, he said.
The Government in the budget proposals presented in November 2015
allocated Rs. 10 billion for the series of projects that are earmarked
for implementation under the Megapolis Development Plan.
According to the initiative, the government intends adopting a four-
pronged strategy to build a 'Megapolis' which will be constructed within
three phases, running between the years of 2016 to 2030.
Megapolis and Western Region Development Minister Champika Ranawaka,
recently disclosed that the first phase of the plan would span from 2016
to 2020, while the second and third phases of the project will span from
2020 to 2030.
"The proposed Megapolis will be built with public and private
investment as well as public and private partnerships and foreign direct
investment," Minister Ranawaka said.
The Cabinet gave its nod for the preparation of the large-scale plan
in April 2015 and the preparation of the master plan was done after
setting up task forces to look into each vital component, including
waste disposal, land use, housing, transport and others.
The initiative has identified priority concerns in the area of town
development and seeks to address traffic congestion, garbage disposal
and housing facilities for slum dwellers, drinking water and sanitary
facilities, among others.
It envisages the development of demarcated regions in the Western
Province under a zoning system, creating different cities in different
regions within the highly-populated Western Province.
The controversial Colombo Port City Project will also incorporated in
the same plan and will kick start in the immediate future. Minister of
Megapolis and Western Development, Patali Champika Ranawaka while
handing over the plan to President Maithripala Sirisena said that Sri
Lanka will be able to raise US$ 30 billion worth investment within the
next decade through this ambitious project that seeks to convert the
island's Western Province into a cluster of infrastructurally- developed
and livable cities.
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