Environment friendly roads

Disna MUDALIGE

The concepts of Environmentally Sustainable Transport (EST) are to be incorporated into urban and road network development projects currently being undertaken by the government to create a pleasant and safe urban environment for city dwellers.

"By implementing these concepts into practice, the government plans to achieve a significant reduction in air and noise pollution, road congestion, pedestrian fatalities and accidents. Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa noted that people, and not vehicles, would be placed in high concentration under this initiative allowing them to reclaim the urban environment.

The minister was addressing a workshop held at the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute yesterday on EST for policy makers and practitioners.

According to the new approach side walks, parks, public spaces, pavements and cycle lanes would be constructed in the proper and planned manner in cities allowing people to walk more freely avoiding traffic jams and heated polluted air.