Singapore experts fine-tune Western Region Megapolis Project
The government’s ambitious Western Region Megapolis Project (WRMPP) – partly to attract foreign investors in large scale development projects – is now being fine-tuned by a team of Singapore experts of Surbana International.
These investment areas are transport, infrastructure, industry, housing, education, and recreation fields, Chairman of WRMPP, Ajita De Costa told Business Times. The WRMPP is four or five times greater than the cost of the Mahaweli programme.
He said that consultations with experts in relevant fields are now underway along with Singapore experts to incorporate their suggestions in the plan which will be unveiled in January next year.
Consultations with IT, infrastructure, transport and Aviation have been carried out so far and they hope to conduct public consultations soon, he said adding that all the activities of WRMPP will be fully transparent and environmental friendly.
The project accords high priority to infrastructure development, transport and spatial planning in the Western Province.
A monorail system will be introduced to ease the traffic congestion on roads, he said, adding that the road network cannot be further widened due to lack of space in the province.
A zoning system will also be implemented providing all modern and necessary facilities such as high grade schools, housing and water supply for residents. The spatial planning involves facilitating and promoting sustainable and inclusive patterns of regional development by making suitable land available for development in line with economic, social and environmental objectives to improve the quality of life of the people, he added.
The draft plan maps out a vision for the Western region while the core area plan for Colombo maps out a detailed long term development project for a population of two million, he disclosed.
The Colombo core area will be divided into 12 zones as part of the planning process and will also focus on pedestrian traffic and parking management. Senior Consultant Subrana International Jeffrey Ho, who is now in the island for expert consultations told the Business Times that the project will provide immense opportunities for the local workforce as well as foreign investors and firms who aspire to enter Sri Lanka.
The plan would take into consideration all ongoing projects and incorporate them into a regional plan that will address all identified issues by 2030, he added.