Sunday Dec 15, 2024
Sunday Dec 15, 2024
Friday, 23 December 2011 02:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Uditha Jayasinghe
Conflict is brewing between the Government and the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) over the former’s ambitious development plans for the capital that were passed by the Cabinet without consultation.
Cabinet Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told the media yesterday that the Cabinet had decided it was “unnecessary” to consult the CMC as they (Government) were a “higher authority” even though development plans centre on key landmarks of Colombo that are under the jurisdiction of the Municipal authorities.
“The CMC is merely a political organisation and we do not see the need to consult them since this is done for the benefit of the country. When it comes to development, the Government will carry out its responsibility to the people and are not concerned with what other parties say as they have narrow political agendas to achieve,” he said.
He added that military personnel would be deployed to construct the proposed renovations to minimise costs and denied that this was a slur on their reputation.
“We have never used the military in the way to tarnish their reputation and honour nor will we ever do so,” insisted Rambukwella, in response to questions. The Rs. 230 billion allocated by Budget 2012 was partly for this purpose, he remarked. The Cabinet paper, which was presented by the Defence and Urban Development Authority (UDA), was not released to the media as customary and the Minister refused to divulge any information of costs or timeline involved.
The overall Colombo project includes renovation work of the Old Marketing Department Building at Colombo Fort, development of the Race Course Grounds and Bloomfield Grounds, refurbishment of the Central Super Market, Pettah (former fish market), relocation of the Manning Market to Peliyagoda and redevelopment of the existing Manning Market premises for the expansion of the bus stand and to accommodate the informal sector within a Commercial Complex area.
“The construction work of these projects will be entrusted to the Engineering Services Divisions of the Sri Lanka Army, Navy and Air Force so that the cost of construction could be kept to a minimum,” a press release handed out at the Cabinet press briefing said.
Under the master plan for Colombo city development prepared by the UDA, development of Independence Square, refurbishment of Old Dutch Hospital building at Colombo Fort, conservation of Fort areas, including Beira lake and its surroundings, development of the Pettah Bus Terminal and reserving commercial areas for pavement hawkers have been completed, the statement noted.
