Beira restoration project in progress

Hiran H. Senewiratne

The Urban Development Authority (UDA), undertook the Beira Lake restoration project to give a facelift to the City of Colombo and to improve the living conditions of the people is now progressing smoothly, sources said.

The purpose of this project was to develop the water front in the City of Colombo , improve tourism and other recreational facilities.

Therefore the Government has allocated Rs 1.2 billion for the entire project , sources said.

Ar present they are now in the process of relocating all shanties, which have been encroached by dwellers for quite some time and now the Beira Lake cleaning activities are progressing well, its Director Shiranee Ariyathilaka told the Daily News.

She said the UDA is now planning to build a 1,000 housing unit complex at Dematagoda for dwellers who were occupied and encroached around the lake. Under Phase One of the project it is estimated to construct 350 houses costing Rs 450 million and nearly 70 percent of the project is almost completed, she said.

The UDA had liberated 2 acres and 3 roods following the restoration of the South West Beira Lake area in the Gangarama area in 2004. Once the project is completed they will be able to liberate more than 11 acres for recreation, tourist promotion and leisure activities around the lake, she said.