President and WB officials inspect Metro Colombo Urban Development project

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, along with World Bank Vice President – South Asia Region Hartwig Schafer and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Sirinimal Perera (right) at the pumping station

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the World Bank representatives yesterday inspected the progress of the Metro Colombo Urban Development sub-project pumping station at Nagalagam Street.

The Metro Colombo Urban Development Project was initiated in 2012, when President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the Secretary of the Urban Development Ministry. It includes 55 sub-projects and the Nagalagam Street pumping station is one of the sub-projects.

World Bank’s Vice President for the South Asia Region Hartwig Schafer and State Ministers Nalaka Godahewa and Mohan P. de Silva joined the visit.

The main objective of this sub-project is to control floods in the city of Colombo and to avoid the pollution caused by the depletion of water in the canals during the dry season. 

Five pumps capable of discharging 30 cubic metres of water per second into the Kelani River and two pumps capable of carrying 12 cubic metres of water per second from the Kelani River into the canals have been installed at the pumping station. It also has two automatic locking doors and a control system.

The total cost of the project is $ 321 million. Of that the World Bank has provided a concessional loan of $ 213 million and the Government of Sri Lanka has provided $ 108 million for this project.

Project Director A.H. Thushari explaining the progress of the project to the President and the World Bank representatives assured the project will be completed within the next few months.

Simultaneously, 47 km of roads will be developed in selected areas. The project also includes the development of Viharamahadevi Park, Crow Island Beach Park and Beddagana Wetland Park.