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by P. Elmo J. de Silva Architect/Town Planner

The development of the transportation network of a country plays an important role in the overall development plan of the country. The focus on efficient transportation systems assumes an even greater significance in a country like Sri Lanka because of three primary reasons.

* The development of roadways would help de-congest cities if people had the option of staying out of the city and using a fast moving four-lane highway to reach their places of work in the city.

* Sri Lanka relies heavily on the import of consumer goods and food grains which enter the country through its main ports. Transportation of these goods from the ports to the hinterland would be better facilitated by good highway systems linking the entire country.

* Sri Lanka has only one international airport which is geographically situated on the fringe of the capital, Colombo. From a tourism point of view a good transportation system linking the airport to major transit destinations/coast lines is of utmost importance.

The city of Colombo is experiencing a rapid increase in the number of motor vehicles. Current trends suggests a further growth in motor vehicle users in the next few years. To keep up with this growth, the quality of roads and surface area of usable roads should also increase proportionately.

This is an important issue that has implications on urban environment, productivity of people and quality of life of the people of Colombo.

At present the urban road networks are severely over crowded and cannot accommodate any further increase in traffic volume.

Due to lack of infrastructure and job opportunities in rural areas, there is a trend of urban migration towards the city of Colombo.

A large number of people are moving towards the city in search of jobs and work. This economic migration has led to an increase in the number of people and consequently an increase in the number of vehicles within the city.

One solution to this problem would be to develop satellite townships on the fringes of the city, or giving people the option of purchasing houses and land outside the city.

People would consider this option only if there was a rapid efficient mode of transport available to get them to get to their places of work quickly.

Improved transportation facilities are important in order to increase accessibility between cities and towns and villages, and to enhance mobility within the country. In the development of infrastructure of any country, there are five main areas of consideration namely, roads, electricity, telephones and communications, water management and land management.

Developing countries like Malaysia have taken measures to develop these five areas and it has reflected in the standard of living of the people of that country.

By the year 2020, Malaysia is planning to join the G-8 Group of Industrialised countries. This goal along with the development of infrastructure has encouraged foreign companies to invest in Malaysia, with their sights on long term financial gains.

In the Master Plan for Road and Highway Development in the country, the four main transportation links that need to be considered are the Colombo-Jaffna link, the Colombo-Trincomalee link, the Colombo-Kandy link and the Colombo-Matara link. Some of these highways are in the process of finalisation of tenders and awarding of contracts. The Government must speed up the process and activate the funding agencies to proceed with the implementation of these projects.

Once this development is achieved by means of broader, faster moving highways, the other towns of the country would act as larger counter magnets and relieve the pressure on the city of Colombo. The principal highways or main arterial roads would help develop corridors of growth, further decongesting the capital city. In the future there is also the possibility of the development of radial link corridors that bind together the entire growth pattern of the country.

As a country, Sri Lanka is dependent on international trade. In the development plan, a strategy should also be formulated for the transport of imported goods and food grains from the ports (air and sea) to their points of consumption. Incompatible land use along principal trunk roads has led to traffic congestion and delays in transportation time.

As a result the cost component of transport in the distribution of goods and services is rapidly escalating. Historically, Sri Lanka had a canal network which linked the entire low-lying plains of the country. If these waterways could be used to their full potential, it would help to reduce transport and fuel costs and further reduce congestion on main roads. This would have a major environmental impact, as it would substantially help in reducing the level of air pollution in the country.

The Government must take upon itself to proceed with the completion of the construction of the just commenced Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, along the selected route into the city.

At present it takes a tourist up to two hours to be transported from the airport to the city, and it is anticipated that this travel time would increase in the near future.

The completion of this highway would reduce the time taken to transport tourists from the airport to Colombo and further on to their tourist destinations.

One must keep in mind that some of today's tourists are overseas businessmen for whom time is of the utmost value. Hence, due consideration should be given to transporting them to their hotels by a speedy mode of transport.

In spite of the fact that the Expressway has been cleared by environmental and other agencies, there seem to be other obstacles hindering its progress. The Government must complete this project since the 'Second Runway' contract for the Colombo Airport has just been awarded.

The implementation of these schemes requires a long-term investment plan. In addition to government funding, we must also recognise the vital role that the private sector plays in urban development. Giving appropriate tax holidays would help create investment opportunities for the private sector. The development of public and private sector partnerships could lead to speedy implementation of these projects with the State being required to act only as a facilitator.

Builders and developers undertaking township projects outside of Colombo should be under mandatory obligation to construct adequate sized access roads leading to the housing schemes. Tax concessions should also be given to these infrastructure development sub-schemes. If this is enforced upon builders it would not only help de-congest city roads, but would also encourage people from the city to buy and live in houses outside the city. The system of Build - Operate - Transfer (BOT) and Build - Operate - Manage (BOM) should also be encouraged under various BOI financial permutations.

A country's environment is one of the most valuable assets that it can possess. Environment is a fundamental issue in urban development. In developing policies towards the management of the urban environment, the future environmental considerations as well as environmental problems that are already present must be taken into account.

These considerations play an important role in the overall development plan because of the ad-hoc and illegal construction activity that has taken place and is taking place along the coastal belt of Sri Lanka which in turn hinders the low - lying flood plains which needs protection from this unplanned development.

A large area of the coastal plains of the island is a low-lying flood plain, which needs protection from unplanned development. Politicians and decision-makers should carry out a national environmental assessment on the impact of growth on these environmentally sensitive wetlands, waterbeds, lagoons and paddy fields and protect these natural formations from future development.

In our overall development plan for the future, governing bodies and town planners and architects need to work together in close conjunction in order to prevent ad-hoc growth in the country.

If governing bodies and institutions that frame regulations can be responsible for framing of laws, then it is up to the town planners and architects to take care of execution of these laws.

With peace around the corner, we need to see the development of roads and highways, as an attempt to bring together various parts of the country.

As we make and execute decisions for the future, we need to reconcile between urban growth and environmental considerations. The new administration should involve professionals from all areas, so that a new dawn can be achieved in the country. Like Malaysia, we too should have a vision for the future, which coupled with sound policy decisions would make Sri Lanka a world force to reckon with in the years to come.

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