The first stage towards the proposed Light Rail Transit (LRT) line was initiated yesterday with the signing of the MoU between Sen Young Company in Korea and the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry for consultancy services for the feasibility study in Colombo yesterday.
Megapolis and Western Development Ministry Secretary Nihal Rupasinghe and SenYoung Company Vice President Kim Nam Siyol signed an MOU at the Ministry premises.
Megapolis and Western Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said the LRT project is one of the most effective solutions for heavy traffic congestion prevailing in Colombo and the suburbs. Worsening traffic jams has had an impact on the country’s economic growth and the people’s lives.
“We need to provide a sustainable solution for transport for the next 20 years at least by now. That is why, the Yahapalana Government has initiated an LRT (Light Rail Transit) project at a estimate cost of US$ 6 billion under the private–public partnership as the best viable option available for the traffic congestion and the most ideal transportation mode suitable for Colombo and its surburbs.
Under this project, we have aimed at strengthening the country’s public transport service to minimise the usage of private vehicles. The government will maintain such a consistent policy which would be crucial to provide an equitable, efficient, environmentally sustainable and safe mode of transport to all citizens,”Minister Ranawaka added.
As evidenced by dynamic cities around the world, improvement and increased usage of public transport systems is the effective and sustainable solution to urban traffic congestion.
It is planned to establish seven LRT lines in order to ease traffic congestion in Colombo and the suburbs. They are from Kollupitiya to Maradana via Bambalapitiya, Boralla and Union Place (14.8km),from Colombo Fort to Peliyagoda via Maradana and Mattakkuliya (11.5km), from Dematagoda to Bambalapitiya via Borella, Kirulapana and from Havelock town (10km), from Malambe to Colombo Fort via Battaramulla and Borella (15.3km), from Malambe to Kottawa ( 9.6km), from Malambe to
Kaduwela (6km) and from Peliyagoda to Kadawatha (13km).
The construction work of the project will commence in December next year while it is planned to be completed by 2030.
The LRT will be a public-private partnership will help cater to the anticipated transport demand in the planned Western Province Megapolis region, covering Colombo and the suburbs. Light rail is a metropolitan electric railway system will be an elevated rail line ruining on roads.
Under the first stage, the approximately 25 km route through Malabe–Battaramulla–Rajagiriya–Borella–Union Place – Kollupitiya and Fort will be constructed under the concessionary loan scheme granted by JICA.
“The final optimum route would be determined with special focus on environmental and social considerations, and inter-connectivity with other public transport modes,”he said. We will implement the compensation process when the land acquisition takes place,” he said.
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