Urban Development

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Urban Development, Infrastructure Rehabilitation, and Capacity Building for Metro Colombo Local Authorities

This component aims at supporting local authorities in the Metro Colombo Region to rehabilitate and manage their drainage infrastructure and streets, implement selected urban improvements investments, and contribute to improve solid waste collection. It will also support targeted capacity building for PLAs and metropolitan development strategies and planning. The component comprises the following two subcomponents:

  • Investment support to local authorities
  • Strengthening and capacity building for local authorities:

Investment support to local authorities

The objective of this subcomponent is to support the rehabilitation, improvement, and management of local infrastructure services of the PLAs. Local capacity will be strengthened through on-the-job training and selected demonstration projects of metropolitan relevance. PLAs will also be trained to respond effectively to local demand for better services and infrastructure. Immediate and visible service-delivery improvements will help them gain greater credibility within their constituencies.

Based on the above, the following sub-projects have been identified for implementation:

Town Hall Square Model Development Zone:
Town Hall Square is located in close proximity to the Central Business District and the National Hospital which sees approximately 60,000 people passing through the area on a daily basis. In addition, 15 bus routes intersect close to Town Hall Square making it a point of connectivity within the city. From a historical perspective, the area has remnants of the old Garden City concept introduced during the colonial period, with many architecturally significant buildings located in the vicinity. The objective of this sub-project is to physically improve and functionally upgrade the Town Hall Square and surrounding area. Interventions include retaining the existing architectural and environmental character of the area while improving access to all public areas located within the Square. A total of 50.8 hectares will be upgraded. This will benefit the general public including commuters to the city and the residential population.

Town Hall Square Model Development Zone:
The objective is to physically improve and functionally upgrade two urban waterfront areas highly frequented by a large cross-section of the city’s population: (i) Crow Island Beach and (ii) Marine Drive Beach. Interventions will include the construction of entrance gate, information center and security hut, toilet facilities, parking, walkways, waterfront court, children’s playground, jogging track, and open green areas with seating arrangements.

Pedestrian Overhead Bridges at Kollupitiya and Bambalapitiya Intersections with Galle Road:
The objective is to create safe, convenient and uninterrupted pedestrian links between crowded railway stations and two main intersections at Bambalapitiya and Kollupitiya along the Galle Road, and to facilitate ease and safety of movement between the railway stations and bus terminals along these intersections. The total length of overhead pedestrian bridges will be about 570 meters.

Improvement of Public Convenience Facilities:
The objective is to upgrade existing public conveniences (public toilets) at 14 selected locations in the city that will provide hygienic and convenient sanitation facilities for the general public who include daily commuters, and domestic and foreign tourists. In keeping with the integrated urban-upgrading programs being implemented through the MCUDP, some sanitation facilities will be located in close proximity to Galle Road, Beira Lake Linear Park, Town Hall Square, Vihara Maha Devi Park, and within the network of pedestrian walkways that will be upgraded.

Walkability Improvements in the City of Colombo:
This aims at providing pedestrians with safe, clean, and convenient walkways along primary, secondary, and tertiary road networks, in order to improve access to commercial and recreational spaces such as the Beira Lake Linear Park and Town Hall Square. Activities will include (i) upgrading and/or replacement of uneven and missing sidewalks along 11 km of road network, (ii) installation of bollards along pedestrian walkways, (iii) creation of parking spaces, (iv) improvements and/or replacement of existing street lighting on 10 streets, (v) introduction of traffic signals at three selected roads, (vi) soft landscaping along pedestrian sidewalks, (vii) provision of street furniture at select locations, (viii) improvement of storm water drainage along 1.2 km of roadway on Vauxhall Street, (ix) replacement of gullies and minor repairs to improve flow of storm water along existing drainage lines on all other streets, and (x) asphalting of 19 streets that will run parallel to sidewalks.

Galle Road and R.A. De Mel Mawatha (Duplication) Road:
This will support rehabilitation and improvement of the level of service of two key arteries—Galle Road and R.A. De Mel Mawatha (Duplication) Road. The CMC has already rehabilitated the first segment of Galle Road (from Bambalapitiya to Kollupitiya). Galle Road is the main arterial road and commercial spine, which runs through the city and sees a large volume of vehicular and pedestrian traffic. The R.A. De Mel Mawatha runs parallel to Galle Road, which is gradually seeing more commercial development. Both roads contribute toward the flow of vehicular traffic coming into and exiting the city especially during peak hours. The road segments to be rehabilitated have a total length of about 10 km.

Detailed Design and Construction Services:
This will support the employment of consultants to (i) prepare/complete detailed design and contract documentation for the works to be undertaken for the CMC, and (ii) supervision of the construction of these works.

Equipment:
This will support the purchase of equipment for (i) drainage and road maintenance works, and (ii) solid waste collection. It will also support acquisition of IT equipment.

Improvement of Street and Drainage Infrastructure, Landscaping of Retention Areas, and Equipment (SJ-KMC):
This will support (i) rehabilitation of about 28 km of selected urban roads including their drainage, (ii) rehabilitation of two drainage infrastructures (canal from No. 60 Waththa to Arunodaya Mawatha Canal and drain at Nugegoda Thilaka Garden), (iii) rehabilitation and landscaping of one flood retention area (Chandra Silva along Buthgamuwa Road) as a pilot demonstration intervention, (iv) purchase of equipment for drainage and road maintenance works, and solid waste collection, and (v) acquisition of IT equipment.:

Improvement of Street and Drainage Infrastructure, Maintenance Facilities, and Equipment (DMLMC):
This will support (i) rehabilitation of about 17 km of selected urban roads including their drainage, (ii) rehabilitation of three micro-drainage infrastructures, (iii) rehabilitation of facilities for the maintenance of road and drainage works, (iv) purchase of equipment for drainage and road maintenance works, and solid waste collection, and (v) acquisition of IT equipment.

Improvement of Street and Drainage Infrastructure, Maintenance Facilities, and Equipment (KUC):
This will support (i) rehabilitation of about 6 km of selected urban roads including their drainage, (ii) rehabilitation of seven micro-drainage infrastructures, (iii) purchase of equipment for drainage and road maintenance works, and solid waste collection, and (iv) acquisition of IT equipment.

Detailed Design and Construction Services (SJ-KMC, DMLMC, and KUC):
This will support the employment of consultants to (i) prepare/complete detailed design and contract documentation for the works to be undertaken for the SJ-KMC, DMLMC, and KUC, as well (ii) supervision of the construction of these works.

Strengthening and capacity building for local authorities

This subcomponent will support the institutional strengthening of PLAs in the priority areas of urban road asset management, technical standards, preparation of road rehabilitation and maintenance works (including quality control) and improvement of solid waste collection. Assistance will be provided for the operation of an integrated metro-level geographic information system (GIS) platform.

The subcomponent will also support metropolitan development strategies and planning by financing the following activities:

  • Development of a Metropolitan Colombo City Development Strategy (MCCDS), including studies related to the revitalization of Colombo City’s historical and cultural areas.
  • Development of an Integrated Master Plan for the Metro Colombo Region, including urban transport planning and detailed studies for immediate action plans.
  • Development of a solid waste management strategy, including detailed studies for immediate action plans.
  • Detailed studies for selected priority metropolitan services as identified by the MCCDS