Monorail, two more roads to Colombo to ease rush hour traffic: Govt.

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UNP MP P. Harrison calls for ban of container transportation within city for three hours in morning and evening

The Government will soon establish a monorail system between Moratuwa and Thalangama in addition to using a redundant railway line to transport containers to the Colombo Port, Minister of Water Supply and Drainage, and Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardena confirmed in parliament yesterday, in response to a question for oral answer raised by UNP MP P. Harrison.According to Minister Gunawardena both measures will help reduce the soaring traffic congestion in the Colombo town, especially before and after office hours. “There was a program between 2007 and 2009 prohibiting the container trucks other heavy vehicle movements during day time. But the restriction was removed in order to avoid shipment delays and demurrage payments caused by the delays in container transportation to the Colombo Port. We can reconsider the possibilities of using the railway to transport the containers to port using the existing railway line, which is redundant. “We are also in the process of adding two more roads to Colombo City. Tram services were there in Colombo when back in the day but it is not easy to establish the trams again. However, initial discussions were completed to establish a monorail system between Moratuwa and Thalangama. Required lands are acquired for this project and the plans are ready,” he added in response to a request made by MP Harrison to prohibit container trucks and other heavy vehicles within Colombo town between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., and 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.