Mankulam to be re-modelled after New Delhi

Lakshmi de Silva

Mankulam, the principal town of the North and the second largest town in the Vavuniya District is to be re-modelled after New Delhi, India under a directive of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, senior official sources in the North told Daily News yesterday.

The first round of talks among senior officials of the North was held last Friday with the participation of the Governor Northern Province G.A.Chandrasiri Local Government Ministry Secretary Casian Herath, District Secretary P.S.M.Charles and Senior Urban Development Authority officials about preparations to be made to start the project.

This would be one of the major projects under the Uthuru Vasanthaya rehabilitation and development program of the North and would be personally looked into by Senior Presidential Advisor and Parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa.

The construction of roads, bridges and other infrastructure facilities are to be started soon and the new Mankulam town would have new roads and buildings, including a provincial council secretariat, courts complex, transport terminal including bus and railway stations, public and private hospital complexes, a regional sports complex, commercial and financial institutions adequate power and water supply. The blue prints of the new town were prepared by the UDA and local experts and engineers would be employed for executing the project, sources also said. Officials also said the Japanese Government would provide aid to build the new Mankulam town.