(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) – Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa Yesterday (09) instructed to expedite the development of the southern city of Matara as a commercial and tourist city establishing its administrative city in Kotawila area.
The Prime Minister said this while participating in a discussion held in Parliamentary Committee Room on issues regarding the projects being implemented by the Urban Development Authority in Matara New Town, Akuressa, Devinuwara, Dickwella, Kamburupitiya, Kirinda-Puhulwella, Thihagoda and Weligama.
There are 17 Local Government Institutions in the Matara District. Out of these, a development plan for 2021-2030 is being implemented under the Urban Development Authority based on 07 Local Government Institutions.
The officials of the Urban Development Authority informed the Prime Minister that the Matara Municipal Council, Matara Pradeshiya Sabha, Weligama Urban Council, Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha, Devinuwara, Hakmana and Malimbada Pradeshiya Sabha areas will be developed under this. The officials also revealed that unauthorized constructions on both sides of the Nilwala River have hampered development activities.
The Prime Minister instructed the Director General of the Urban Development Authority to resume development projects in the Matara District which were halted during the previous government.
The discussion focused on relocating the existing Matara General Hospital to the new hospital under construction in Kotawila, allocating the current location only for accident treatment.
It was revealed that the previous government had stopped the construction of 9 buildings at the Kotawila Hospital. Accordingly, the Prime Minister instructed to start the construction of these buildings immediately and stated that the construction work of the hospital should be completed soon.
Meanwhile, Minister of Highways Johnston Fernando instructed the relevant officials to develop the road from Godagama Junction to Kamburupitiya into four lanes and the Kamburupitiya-Kotawila road into two lanes.
Power Minister Dullas Alahapperuma expressed confidence that the new court complex in Matara, built in Kotawila, would be opened soon.
The Prime Minister also said that a building with office facilities for lawyers should be constructed in parallel to its construction.
Minister Alahapperuma pointed out that the buildings of the Mahinda Rajapaksa College in Matara, which commenced construction at a cost of Rs. 700 million, are deteriorating as they were stopped halfway during the last government period.
About 80 tons of solid waste accumulates daily in Matara and Weligama towns and the government is focusing on generating electricity from this solid waste in the future.
Meanwhile, the first, second and third phases of the Nilwala Riverside Park in Matara, built at a cost of Rs. 632 million, are scheduled to be completed before the 31st of this month. Its fourth phase continues as a mixed project.
In parallel to the development of Kamburupitiya town, the Prime Minister also focused on widening the access road to 66 feet with 4 lanes of and developing Kamburupitiya Maha Vidyalaya.
The Prime Minister instructed the relevant authorities to plan to provide each school with a 400 meter running track in the development of Kamburupitiya Maha Vidyalaya as well as other schools in the country.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Ministers Dallas Alahapperuma, Johnston Fernando, State Ministers Kanchana Wijesekara, Nalaka Godahewa, Members of Parliament Nipuna R Ranawaka, Weerasumana Weerasinghe, Karunadasa Kodituwakku, Secretary to the Prime Minister Gamini Senarath and other government officials attended the meeting.
