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| Saturday, 18 September 2004 |
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The Ministry of Public Security Law and Order a co-ordination Action Plan has launched to develop the road leading from the Bandaranaike International Airport to Colombo to make it more pleasing and pleasant to visitors than at present, a Ministry release said. The program to be launched as a crash program will be completed within three months with support of agencies having a stake in its upkeep including Ministries of Highways, Transport and Environment, Central Environmental Authority, (CEA) Departments, Government Agencies, local authorities in the area, the Police Department, and the private sector. The first stage of development will cover the distance from the airport to Peliyagoda. It will later be extended to cover the route up to Parliament at Sri Jayawardhanapura, Kotte. The Program's details were outlined at a conference presided by Secretary, Ministry of Public Security, Law and Order and Chairman of Central Environmental Authority Tilak Ranaviraja. Over 100 representatives including Secretaries of Ministry of Highways, Ministry of Transport, and Ministry of Environment, senior state officials, CEA officials, Chairman of Ja-Ela Pradeshiya Sabha, Chairmen of Seeduwa, Ja-ela, Wattala and Peliyagoda Urban Councils, DIG Sirisena Herath, SSPs of Negombo and Peliyagoda along with senior Traffic Division officials were present. Ranaviraja explaining the project's purpose said Sri Lanka is well-known as a beautiful and resplendent island. However due to the present state of the Katunayake-Colombo Road, the first impression of a foreigner gets is not favourable. Therefore, the Ministry under which the Police Department functioned thought of taking the initiative to co-ordinate an action plan to develop this road and roadsides to make it more attractive and pleasing with orderly development and systematic traffic movement, he said. Ranaviraja said the new proposed highway from Katunayake to Colombo would take a few more years to complete and until such time it is important that the present road is developed. There would not be major financial outlays for the project because several agencies like the Ministry of Highways and Transport as well as local authorities which have their own programs would implement them with proper guidance and direction to have a uniform pattern of development. The Ministry of Public Security will co-ordinate the work for speedy implementation and arrange assistance, he said. It would now be easy for all agencies to implement program to beautify roadside with laying of proper pavements through townships, planting of trees along roadside, planting of foliage and flowers and clear the pavements of obstruction, streamlining traffic control, preventing garbage disposal on roadside and removal all unauthorised constructions on roadside, covering meat stalls and fishstalls along roadside from open public view and orderly maintenance of frontages of business establishments and residences as the Ministry of Highways is re-surfacing the road with laying of the carpet along the Katunayake-Colombo Road. The bus halts along the route are to be constructed in a uniform pattern with required bays for parking. The police will implement a steamilined traffic control program. A proposal has also been made to construct underground passages for pedestrian crossing to ease flow of traffic at busy intersections. Loitering of stray cattle and animals which had been another problem is to be tackled. Indiscriminate pasting of posters on walls and banners is also to be tackled. Ranaviraja said local authorities in the area also have to play a prominent role and the Ministry will provide political and other assistance to make this program successful. The Secretary invited suggestions from government and local government agencies to implement this project and outline any programs already earmarked Secretary, Ministry of Highways said the carpeting of the road will be completed in two months time while Secretary Transport also outlined the program they have planned. Senior police officials spotlighted that due to the installation of street lights only on one side the centre of the road at many places remain dark. As a result people crossing the road are hardly visible. |
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