Proposed LRT feasibility study early next year

A team of consultants and experts from Japan are slated to arrive in the country early next year to carry out a feasibility study on the proposed

The Cabinet has already approved the construction of seven Light Rail Transit (LRT) in Western Region as a long-term measure to cater to future transport demand. The proposal in this regard was made by Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka recently. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has agreed to assist the construction of two LRTs. The completion of the first two elevated LRT lines will see travel time between Malabe – Fort and Malabe – Kollupitiya being reduced to less than 20 minutes.

Currently during the peak traffic hours the travel time on the two routes (around 15 Km's) amounts to around two hours.

The study according to Amada, will take around one year and it will include the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as well.“JICA will present its findings to the relevant government authorities and move from there onwards. We believe that after the preliminary study we can go for the procurement and land acquiring stage,” he added.

Earlier JICA was also involved in preparing the urban transport master plan.

Chief Representative of the JICA office in Sri Lanka Kiyoshi Amada, speaking to the ‘Daily News’ said Japanese experts will first conduct a feasibility study on the project (Malabe - Kollupitiya and Malabe - Fort line) from early next year.

Amada said that experts will take all measures to minimise the amount of land that should be acquired for the project and added that he believed this can be achieved as it will be an elevated LRT line.

Amada said that training programmes will be held for Sri Lankan Engineers as elevated electric railways are new here.

He said JICA, has only signed to build two lines so far from Malabe to Kollupitiya and Malabe to Fort and it has not received any requests from the government to get involved in the other five proposed lines.

When questioned as to why the initially proposed mono rail was turned to LRT, Amada said the experts advised that the LRT network is the most suitable to cater to future transport needs within the metropolis under the planned Megapolis and Western Development Project.