Development for Trinco Industrial Zone phase III to kick off

• Infrastructure development costing Rs. 580 m to be handled by Central Engineering Services
• Developer selected bypassing procurement process to expedite program 

The Government this week gave Industry and Commerce Minister Rishard Bathiudeen the green light to bypass the standard procurement procedure to commission Central Engineering Services Ltd. to develop infrastructure in stage III of the Trincomalee Industrial Zone at an estimated cost of Rs. 580 million. 

Bathiudeen this week got Cabinet approval to skip the calling for bids to select the developer to award the contract, as the process would cause “an inordinate delay in establishing the industrial estate and also in order to accelerate the work on this project utilising the 2018-2020 budgetary allocation.”

The company, Central Engineering Services, is a fully owned subsidiary of the Central Engineering Consultancy Bureau which did the feasibility study for the third stage in collaboration with the Ministry. 

According to the project proposal submitted to the Department of National Planning following a feasibility study, the industrial park is expected to generate 1800-2500 direct employment opportunities and another 150-500 indirect opportunities through the establishment of up to 15 large and medium scale industries. 

With a total extent of 50 acres situated in the Kappalthurei village, the project, which is to be financed through the Government Consolidated Fund carried out in three phases, is expected to be completed by 2020 attracting an estimated total investment of Rs. 5 billion. 

Under the first stage, infrastructure in 25 acres will be developed at a cost of Rs. 289 million while phase 2 will complete the project at an additional Rs. 291 million. The infrastructure development also includes an elephant fence costing a total of Rs. 68 million.