Japan to uplift Colombo roads

By Uditha Jayasinghe

Japan, via its Intern-ational Cooperation Agency (JICA), is partnering Sri Lanka’s Transport Ministry to modernise Colombo’s transport system and increase development loans to the country.

Under the initiative, a technical cooperation project has been launched to conduct a comprehensive study and formulate an urban transport master plan for the Colombo metropolitan region.

To formalise this, JICA and Ministry yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an initial support of $ 5 million assistance. The plan will take 21 months to complete and will detail comprehensive changes to improve public transport and reduce congestion.  

Previously Japan has extended assistance to expand the Baseline Road to a six-lane one.

The study will focus on identifying the optimum methods of resolving traffic congestion and transport difficulties faced by the public in Colombo City and suburbs. It will review present conditions, ongoing developments and future plans, to identify short and mid-term measures to improve the existing transport system, and in the long-term to establish possibly a new mode of transport as the core system to fulfil the growing public and corporate mobility needs.

Transport Minister Kumar Welgama said heavy traffic, pollution and crowded public transport had long been the bane of Colombo. He added that the new master plan would identify ways for its improvement.

“Daily, over 1.5 million people travel to Colombo through six main roads, which causes massive traffic jams,” he said.

He adding that vehicle numbers grow by eight per cent per annum in Sri Lanka.

At present Sri Lanka’s vehicle density is 130 for every 1,000 people, but this number is expected grow to 250 by 2022 and 370 by 2031, creating a grave need for better infrastructure.

“In the short-term we have asked JICA to present an evaluation in six months to see how we can give immediate relief to the public. The rest of the proposals will deal with the medium to long-term measures,” Transport Secretary Dhammika Perera said.

The Ministry will also set up a steering committee and technical committee including the Ministries of Defence, Ports and Highways and Environment and the commissions of Transport and Planning. The Western Provincial Council will also be included in the new committees.

According to the current plan, Welgama insisted that they had no projections of the possible cost, but stressed that the loan agreements would be done with JICA consultation once the Master Plan was completed in April 2014.

“JICA is the best organisation for this because they have vast experience in introducing and implementing urban transport systems in a range of countries, including China, Indonesia and Thailand,” the Minister said.

Asked whether transport solutions such as monorail can be afforded by Sri Lanka, Perera pointed out that even though Sri Lanka’s per capita income is around US$ 2,400, in Colombo it is twice as much, showing that commuters prefer to travel in comfort.

“Since income rates are set to double by 2016, a higher standard of transport will be expected by Colombo’s people,” Perera added.

“Depending on the results of the study, we would positively consider financing the implementation of the core transport system under concessionary Official Development Assistance loan terms,” JICA Sri Lanka Chief Representative Harumi Ao said. “Implementing the master plan will ensure a prolonged relationship between Sri Lanka and Japan,” he added.

JICA was the main funder for Sri Lanka’s Southern Highway and is also expanding the International Airport as part of its projects within the country.

JICA is the executing agency of Japan’s Bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA). JICA, the world biggest bilateral aid agency, works in over 150 countries and regions. In accordance with its vision of ‘Inclusive and Dynamic Development,’ JICA supports the resolution of development issues in developing countries.

In Sri Lanka, Japan has been providing financial and technical assistance since 1954 and is one of the largest donors to the country. On behalf of the people and the Government of Japan, JICA contributes to improve the lives of people in Sri Lanka.