(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – Prasanna Ranatunga, Minister of Urban Development and Housing, has submitted a cabinet paper to obtain approval for the transfer of the land portion of the old Dutch building in Trincomalee to the Urban Development Authority (UDA) for a tourism development project.
Minister Ranatunga says that the Urban Development Authority has already prepared a metropolitan development plan for a part of the Trincomalee district and published it through the special gazette number 1534/8.
The minister also said that the area covered by the plan has been identified to expand and promote commercial and tourism activities.
Nilaveli Beach, Marble Beach, Natural Harbor, Fort Frederick and many archaeological sites in the capital city of the Eastern Province are attractive destinations for local and foreign tourists.
The number of local and foreign tourists coming to Trincomalee is increasing day by day. Therefore, it is essential to improve the public facilities of the city. For that purpose, the Urban Development Authority has planned to use the old Dutch building located on the Inner Harbor Road, Trincomalee, which has not been put to any use, according to the cabinet paper presented by the Minister.
Minister Ranatunga has instructed the Urban Development Authority to carry out the modernization works while protecting the antiquity of the building.
In addition, the Minister Prasanna Ranatunga further stated in the cabinet paper that entertainment facilities, modern restaurants, hotels, city decoration and sanitation facilities as well as supermarkets will be improved to create an attractive city for local and foreign tourists coming to Trincomalee.
