Transforming Colombo into modern metropolis

Amarnath Jayatilaka Filmologist

Apropos of the brilliantly analytical and most worthy article written by Lionel Gulawita of Diriya Foundation titled ‘Prosperity through Colombo’s modernization’ published as the lead article in Daily News of February 2, 2001, this writer is inspired to add a few more ideas and suggestions that will enhance this wonderful proposal.

Over the last two decades it has been my unfulfilled dream to see that the city of Colombo is turned into a most modern megapolis worthy of our country and our people.

Fifty years ago, the city of Colombo, then known as ‘Garden City of Asia,’ was said to have inspired Singapore leader Lee Kuan Yew to develop his city-state on the lines of Colombo.

Beautifying Colombo city. File photo

Today Singapore is not only the most beautiful ‘Garden City of Asia’ but also one of the super cities of the modern world whereas the city of Colombo has deteriorated to be the ugliest, filthiest and dirtiest city in Asia, infested with the menace of mosquitoes, traffic jams and congestion.

The city of Colombo is a symbol and a reflection of the kind of leaders we have had since Independence. When a foreigner visits Colombo and asks about the garbage dumps, invasion of the pavements by hawkers, unplanned ugly looking constructions in Pettah and the grotesque over bridge with shops in Maradana and other makeshift boutique shops, we are put to shame. Who made this a reality! It is those who administered the city of Colombo continuously for the last 53 years after independence and tolerated by the successive governments of our country!

It is amazing that in spite of the enormous amount of vehicular traffic in Colombo, a properly devised traffic plan is not yet implemented leading the city to a disastrous traffic snarl. Today every major city has one-way traffic flow.

Socially in Colombo which was built as a small city 150 years ago, is crammed with a huge amount of traffic which is increasing day by day, to the detriment of easy flow. If an immediate plan to make ‘one way flow’ is not implemented soon, there will come a time when it will grind to a snail’s pace, thereby affecting every commercial activity in the city.

Within this archaic situation it is soothing to hear that Colombo is to be turned into a commercial and financial hub of South Asia.

It is also said that by the beginning of the century, a million tourists are expected to visit Sri Lanka. All these good tidings will naturally help boost our economy. Therefore, it is vital that the government should give the utmost priority to rebuild and develop Colombo into a great metropolis.

Although there is news that some plans are ready for the expansion and development of the city of Colombo, yet how they will be implemented in a practical way is not announced yet.

This brings one to the idea that treating the city of Colombo merely as a municipality needs to be changed if it is to be transformed into a metropolis. This can only happen if the government gives top priority and takes up the city of Colombo as the biggest development project by establishing a Colombo metropolitan development authority in the way other countries have done and have been doing in the big cities of Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkotha in India!

We are in the centre of South Asia where there is the world’s second largest population. At this time, India has the world’s largest buying power of 250 million people. Imagine if we can get at least One Million of this gigantic consumers to visit Sri Lanka annually, I am confident, this itself alone will be sufficient to develop our country into enormous position economically.

Like Singapore to Asean and Dubai to Middle East, we have to make Sri Lanka - a ‘Centre’ for SAARC. This can be achieved only by making the City of Colombo as a megapolis with each and every infrastructure needed for the people of our negihbouring countries to visit regularly for shopping, recreation and tourism etc. With the earnings on tourism alone, we cannot only solve all our economic problems, but also bring the much-needed financial resources. There are yet, untapped vast and unique resources that need to be harnessed in this area.

Therefore, the opportune time has come to rebuild the City of Colombo on a comprehensive and far-sighted plan to remould it to a great city worthy of Sri Lanka.

If and when this city becomes a big metropolis it will become the catalyst for the economic growth of the emerging new Sri Lanka.

With an expressway to the airport, expansion of the airport itself and an airlink with the other two leading South Indian cities of Bangalore, Hyderabad and Kolkotha direct airlinks to Bangladesh and Nepal will turn Colombo into a leading shopping centre like Dubai for the Middle East and Singapore for East Asia.

The irony of it is that what a farsighted great leader like Lee Kuan Yew did for Singapore has now become the inspiration for our leaders to turn out city into a great metropolitan hub, with the emergence of the vast potential for economic development due to our geographic position in South Asia.

Implementing this proposal as the top priority development project of the government within this year will lead us into great stature in South Asia.

Written in February 2001