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Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrama
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The Urban Development Authority (UDA) has commenced the construction of 40,000 housing units for low income communities in Colombo as part of a program to provide permanent housing for these groups.
Work on the construction of 1,000 housing units began in Sirimavo Bandaranaike Mawatha, Colombo 14 area recently.
The houses, each of which will have 550 square feet in floor area, are being constructed at a cost of Rs. 5,950 million and will be completed in three years. It is funded by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
The housing program for the 60,000-slum dwellers in the Colombo District commenced when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa functioned as the Secretary to the Urban Development Ministry.
The current Secretary of Urban Development, Water Supply and Housing Development Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrama who spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony said that the construction sector had suffered a setback due to the COVID-19 virus and the outbreak of the epidemic underscored the importance of building proper houses for low income groups as such illnesses can spread speedily in slum dwellings.
UDA Chairman Darshana De Silva said the housing would be constructed in four blocks with 250 houses units in each block.
UDA Director General Prasad Ranaweera was also present at the occasion.
