Cabinet approves Rs. 700 m project to develop Hamilton Canal for tourism

Wednesday, 4 November 2026 00:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a Rs. 700 million project to develop the Hamilton Canal and its surrounding aquatic environment as a tourist attraction.

Addressing the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing yesterday, Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the project aims to promote nature-based and historical heritage tourism by developing coastal and marine environments in the Western Province, including the Negombo Lagoon and the Hamilton Canal.

“Under the proposed program, the canal will be developed from the Queen’s Island Jetty in the Negombo Lagoon up to the mouth of the Ma Oya estuary, with the aim of making the waterway suitable for tourism use,” he said.

The Cabinet Spokesman said the Western Provincial Council has already prepared a project report outlining the proposed development activities.

The proposal to this effect was a submitted by a joint Cabinet paper by the Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath and the Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Prof. A.H.M.H. Abayarathna.