Flat renovation to restart shortly

Chamikara Weerasinghe

Flat renovation work in Colombo, will be restarted shortly, Condominium Management Authority Chairman Kapila Gamage of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities said yesterday.

He said this on being asked by the Daily News whether they have stopped or completed their task of renovating the flats in Maligawatta and Soyzapura housing schemes.

Chairman Gamage said the renovation activities came to a standstill because of the Local Government Election.

“They will be recommenced,” he said. “We have completed renovation work of Serpentine flats.

“We are yet to complete the task of renovating the Maligawatta and Soyzapura flats,” he said. The flat renovation was commenced on the advice of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa.

The Treasury has reportedly disbursed funds to the tune of Rs 1000 million to the Housing and Construction Ministry for the activity.

Gamage said, they will be spending Rs 300 million for the work concerned and the rest will be spent in the following two years, to maintain their condition.

Minister Weerawansa introduced this programme on behalf of residents living in flats in response to repeated requests made by them, to repair and upgrade their flats as they were unable to bear high costs involved in such activity.

The ministry has removed several unauthorized building constructions which some householders have built as extensions to their original structures in the process.

“Renovation of some flats are “not possible” without removing these extensions because constructors are unable to put scaffolding to carry out necessary repairs,” he said.