Case for a Capital City:

Ready to meet future challenges

Part I of this article was published on July 20:

Eng. Duleep Goonewardene

The Capital of a country is the seat of Government. The place where its elected members meet. It takes a little while to remember that our Capital is not Colombo City, but Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, purported to be the capital with the longest name of all the countries on earth

One thing which could be held with a fair degree of certainty is that in such an eventuality, any negative impacts will affect overcrowded, low lying coastal areas, much more.

Even if such catastrophes were not to happen, in time, the rises in sea level and its implications would have gradually rendered low coastal cities more unsustainable. The United Nations has already warned of unprecedented climate induced migrations of the 21st Century. (Copenhagen findings)

Those who don’t learn from history are destined to relive it. What then are the lessons of history, we can learn from?

The massive tsunami of 1755 caused by an underwater landslide in the Atlantic ocean, destroyed Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, which had both the Kings Court and merchant trading power base. Spain attacked a weakened Portugal almost immediately afterwards. This was the beginning of the end of the Portuguese empire. The Portuguese had ceded its interests of Ceylon to the Dutch, by 1756, the very next year.

The prosperous city of Pompeii was covered completely by volcanic dust within a few days of the eruption of Vesuvius in the 1st Century and faded away from human memory till it was rediscovered in the 19th Century. In 1861, the Pony Express in the USA was rendered obsolete by the advent of the Telegraph wire, just after 18 months of existence.

The USA which preferred to be on the sidelines during the commencement of the Second World War, was unceremoniously and suddenly pushed into it by the unexpected and devastating attack on Pearl Harbour by Japan, leading later to the use of nuclear bombs and the consequent beginning of the cold war.

The above shows but few occurrences of history, utterly unpredictable, which changed the course of history, within a very short time span. It needs to be borne in mind that catastrophes need to happen but once, in the most unexpected of places, at the least expected of times, to force enormous change.

Cities which concentrate both political and economic power runs the inherent hidden danger of both economic and political power being immobilized simultaneously. The vacuum created in such a catastrophe is open to be filled by the vilest of powers, always lurking in the background to seize the opportunity. But if either seats of power survive, it can eventually help the other to regain its strength.

A balance of the political and economic powers can be attained by siting them in two places. These powers ‘grow not well in each others shadow’. Standing on two legs, is much more stable than on one. Several countries have taken this approach.

Delhi Bombay in India, Hanoi-HoChi Minh City in Vietnam, Beijing-Shanghai in China, Washington-New York in the USA, The Hague-Amsterdam in the Netherlands, are but some of these.

In the above context, what are the benefits that would accrue from the shifting the Sri Lankan capital to a more appropriate place. What further would be the beneficial features which could be inbuilt into the design of a new Capital, which would be impossible by retrofitting a city such as Colombo/Sri Jayawardenapura?

A new Capital city should be least affected by the catastrophes mentioned earlier. The biggest advantage of a new Capital city would be that all features desired in a futuristic, vibrant, green city could be designed and constructed in phases, on a long-term grand Master Plan. Such new cities should have it sown sources of water, food production facilities and energy sources in close proximity, to withstand any siege, if it should ever happen.

It should have the space for planned expansion and transport facilities from many directions, with unhindered links to international airports. Some suggested strategies with multiple benefits which could be inbuilt into such a city are:

Water and wastewater: the provisions of Water Supply for the City of Tomorrow, such as using multiple sources of water, collected from as close by as possible, treated as appropriate for its end use, Harvesting Rainwater, recycling of waste water, keeping wastewater streams separate etc, using a host of alternate technologies. Water storage would be part of the overall flood control and planned groundwater enhancement strategy.

Sanitation: Systems which use minimal water produce energy with the wastewater and reuse nutrients in Urban agriculture using sound principles as laid out in the Bellagio Statement.

Solid Waste: Considers garbage a resource, an entity whose economic value remains to be revealed. Separation of types of waste at the source, done at both a voluntary and mandatory manner, Co-Composting of the separated Organic Waste along with the nutrients of human wastes, use of composting barrels, vermicasting, enabling fertilizer production and growing food, reducing food imports and ‘Waste exports’.

Energy: Multiplicity of energy sources for power such that the sources of generation is close to the point of consumption, reducing the dependency and vulnerability of lengthy grids. These could range from the newer Wind, Dendro to Solar-Stirling, Wave Power, all ‘home grown’ greener energy types, supplemented with the traditional oil and hydro, so that the city runs minimal risk of facing brown or blackouts.

At the domestic level improved firewood cookers based on the gassifier principle could work alongside LP gas. The ash produced could assist desiccations of separated human waste.

Urban Gardening: All possible spaces from balconies rooftops, walls, fences could be used for horticulture, food production and greening of surfaces. The rainwater harvested, along with the in situ fertilizer manufactured from excrement and garbage, would assist, reducing the necessity of imports.

Roads: All major highways could be outside city limits with link roads connecting to the city, with adequate reservations for the futuristic modes of transport. Separate or combinations of paths for walking/jogging/motorized shoes, cycles/roller skating, motorcycles/three-wheelers, four wheelers etc. Roads, with combinations of hard and soft surfacing with tree lined swales providing multiple benefits of traffic barriers, cooling, urban wildlife habitat and storm water control.

Following the ‘Eishenhower directives’ after the 2nd World War, all Highways in the USA was straightened and broadened to land commercial aircraft in emergencies. (an idea already made use of by the LTTE in a small way).

Transport: All bus, van, Rail, tram, canal and other forms of envisaged overhead and underground transport, civil aviation, be integrated, such that minimal time is spent on travelling to and from a destination.

Existing water bodies too could be utilized as natural runways to land ‘sea planes’.

Housing and Buildings: The construction of planned multistoried buildings of moderate heights (say up to four stories) over single storey housing, needs to be encouraged, with the other infrastructural facilities like schools hospitals, playgrounds, supermarkets offices and other essential features, within prescribed commuting distance.

This new types of infrastructure could be aligned to obtain the maximum benefits of the sun and wind and minimize effects of the monsoons and incorporate the best aspects of Green Building currently practiced and being increasingly available in the future.

If our present capital needs to be shifted, what location would be the most appropriate?

Sri Lanka as a whole occupies about the (15th place in world population density (app.290 persons per Sq Km). The densities, of the Districts of Colombo (3305), Gampaha (1541) and Kalutara (673) speak for themselves in comparison to the least Districts of Mullaitivu (50), Moneragala (72), Vavuniya (81), Mannar (81) and Killinochchi (106). The attraction towards adjoining districts and the corresponding problems due to higher population densities, I directly attributable to the Colombo centered planning.

Since Colombo/Sri Jayawardenapura would remain the city with foremost economic power, into the foreseeable future, the new Capital should be as far removed from it as possible. It should overcome the deficiencies carried by the Capital City at present, whilst gearing itself to be a city of the 21st Century, ready to meet the challenges of the future.

Anuradhapura was the continuous, successful and glorious Capital city of Sri Lanka for over 1,000 years. A seat of power known to the cartographer Ptolemy as early as the 3rd Century AD. It is at an elevation of about 78 m above sea level. The town is bounded by three major reservoirs and numerous small ones. Agricultural lands, producing rice and other crops surround the city. The ancient city is a UNESCO Heritage city, whilst the new city is a fairly well planned city, with space for expansion.

What better city is there for a new capital than this, which could assist to regain the glory of the past. Futuristic infrastructure for a new Capital, worthy of the expectations of the 21st Century, could be built around the new and ancient city, on a well phased out Master Plan.

The seat of Government would be closer to listen and better understand the heartbeat of the Vanni, now made easier by declaring Mankulam as the future administrative center of the Northern Province. Foreigners would be able to combine business and pleasure in one visit and see the past glories of a city.

A well-planned tactical move as above-mentioned, should go a long way in ensuring sustainability of devolved power.

A mandatory National Service, in a country with free education from the kindergarten to University may be an instrument, by which the building of such a new capital city could be partly financed. It could facilitate the revival of the ‘dignity of labour’ as well, diffusing the current artificial barriers built between the ‘blue’ and ‘white’ collar workers.

If the Government Party in Power were to agree with Opposition on the relocation, it could be done within an agreed time frame, within which time the infrastructure of a well-planned futuristic green city could be developed.

Only a strong Government led by visionaries with an abundance of will power and who can dream with their eyes open, can dare attempt such a move.

The creation of new strong political centre geographically separated, but protected from several robust economic centers, would better guarantee a balanced development of entier land and maritime territories, for generations to come. The time is opportune now to open a lively discussion on the matter.

Concluded