I am been watching with interest the scramble in the print and electronic media on the grand promises and proposals made by the recent champions that have joined the government - the vociferous Housing Minister Wimal Weerawansa and Colombo mayoral contestant Milinda Moragoda (The election would be over today by the time this letter is read).)
The reason for my ‘elation’ is because I was responsible for commencing the actual construction of housing schemes for low income shanty dwellers under the Mahinda Chinthanaya Programme in 2006. The project was called “Palin Mandira” programme and intended to construct 65,000 housing units of 500 sq. ft each as flats under the UDA. Accordingly the first project commenced and completed in 2006 with the President himself laying the foundation stone ceremonially at Wanathamulla in Borella.
The actual cost of the 60 houses incurred by REDECO, for the client REEL, both being under UDA, was Rs. 59.4 million. Incidentally at a recent TV interview Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary said the current cost of a similar housing unit will be Rs.25 million whereas it was done only for Rs.1 million (per unit) by REDECO.
The second “Palin Mandira” stage II comprising 35 houses was done near Kelani Bridge. REDECO carried out the works under direct labour system, employing local labour, material supplies and limited job contracts. Work was completed ahead of scheduled dates. But even the 10% profit margin claimed by REDECO from the client REEL was ignored and not paid.
The third stage of this project was proposed at Bloemendhal Road and the site was cleared and the foundation stone laid. Plans and the BOQ were called by REEL from selected government and private construction firms. Only three parties responded with contract costs namely SEC Rs.950 million, Link Engineers Rs. 550 million and REDECO Rs 420 million. While the project was almost ready to be awarded to REDECO another strange thing happened and a Malaysian party was handed over the contract with ceremonial signing of the agreement at the UDA head office.
But subsequently nothing happened as no work began at site and time passed away only ending up with a financial scandal that resulted in the passing away of a financial head of REEL, the client who had received an advance payment from the Malaysian party.
The “Palin Mandira” project of Mahinda Chinthana to construct 65,000 houses in Colombo by the UDA under Minister Dinesh Gunawardana is now forgotten.
Minister Weerawansa and mayoral aspirant Moragoda as well as other political campaigners are now crowing about how they will resettle shanty dwellers in flats and beautify the city of Colombo. Maybe after another five years or so some others may pronounce similar new proposals, while what is now boasted about will never see the light of day.
Aren’t these hollow proclamations by opportunistic politicians given repetitive publicity by the media amusing for the knowledgeable parties as well as the shanty dwellers whose lot will remain the same for a long time to come?
Finally, it is not normal for government servants to write about their experience for media publicity while in service or after, but I thought it fit for public record and clarity and not for any other motive, as the then Vice Chairman of REDECO responsible for some economic innovative designs of the houses and construction process of the stage I and II and design and priced B.O.Q of the stage III of the then “Palin Mandira” programme under Mahinda Chinthanaya.
Eng. K.P. Piyasena,
Peradeniya. |
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