Siemens signs MoU on Megapolis

Multinational Siemens will be providing technical support to the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry in the Master Plan process under a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to be signed between the two organisations. 

Cabinet on Tuesday gave approval for the MoU on a proposal submitted by Megapolis and Western Development Minister Champika Ranawaka. The MoU had already been submitted to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management and allows both parties to “engage in discussions and collaborate to study and enable conceptualisation of state-of-the - art smart city interventions for Western Megapolis.” 

However, the Cabinet paper specifies the MoU does not imply any commitment by either party and will not conclude any joint venture partnership or contractual commitment between the two parties. 

 The Ministry plans to develop new cities in Bandaragama, Kadawatha, Kottawa and Kerawalapitiya surrounding the outer circular highway that will be soon under construction as a part of the Megapolis development plan.

Globally, Siemens is a leader in providing technology solutions for setting up intelligent (smart), sustainable cities. With solutions for Smart Grid, Building Technologies, Mobility and Power Distribution, Siemens has successfully set up smart cities in Vienna and New York, and is already involved in the Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Program (R-APDRP) of the Government of India for installing Smart Grid solutions in multiple cities in India.  

A separate MoU with International Enterprise Singapore, which is a body under the Ministry of Trade and Industries of Singapore, was also approved by Cabinet. Both MoU’s are to provide international expertise to complex projects under the Megapolis. (UJ)