Shanty dwellers in and around Colombo in luck’s way

Saturday, 13 August 2011 02:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Cheranka Mendis

The Urban Development Authority’s move to relocate the underserved settlements of Colombo and suburbs is progressing steadily with work on 10,000 units having started already.

UDA Chairman Janaka Kurukulasuriya Thursday stated that the plan was to relocate 65,000 slums within Colombo and the suburbs to other areas to create more space for development and beautify the city of Colombo. The project is now under control with contracts having been given to both local and foreign contractors, Kurukulasuriya said. The target is to start work on 7,000 more units within 2011, he asserted.

“It has been noted that in one acre, 300 to 315 units can be constructed. To construct 15,000 units, a large extent of land is needed. We have now cleared the areas needed with Environment, Transport and Health Ministries also giving out unutilised land under their ministries for

this project.”

The UDA hopes to construct 45,000 units to resettle the slum dwellers within three-and-a-half to four years. Asked about the investment for the project, Kurukulasuriya acknowledged that the sum was indeed a large one, which the UDA would raise in various ways.

“We have raised money through debenture capital (Rs. 10 billion); then the monies coming in from the sale of land such as the one given to Indocean Developers for the two-acre plot adjoining Nawaloka Hospital will also be allocated for this project. We have also received some proposals from private parties who will begin construction to be paid at the end of a three-year period,” he noted.

To accompany the large number of slum dwellers, the UDA has given instructions for the construction of 12-storeyed flats in Colombo. Kurukulasuriya expressed that a timeline of two-and-a-half years had been given to construct one 12-storeyed building.

“We will not chase the slum dwellers until we come up with the buildings for them. We will first get the houses ready and then get them to move in.”

Starting from Colombo, the project will be carried out in other parts of the country in due course.