Sri Lanka to move prison out of Colombo, shift key buildings

Mar 09, 2016 (LBO) - Sri Lanka’s government is planning to shift key government offices including the Prison, President and Prime Minister’s residences from Colombo and free land for development purposes, chairman of the Urban Development Authority said. “We want to move the Welikada Prison, which has about 50 acres, and it will be shifted out of Colombo so that this land will be freed,” Ranjith Fernando, chairman of the UDA said. “Similarly government offices and departments including even the Presidents and Prime Minister’s offices and residences which occupy space in the city will be moved to the Bataramulla area.” According to the new government’s Megapolis development plan the Parliament area will be made the administrative capital, leaving Colombo, where most companies have their offices, as the commercial capital. “Colombo will be made a commercial capital with the China Port city project going ahead while the Parliament area will be the administrative capital.” “The capital will become a commercial city with lots of hotels and wide green open spaces.” Some government offices have already shifted but many more remain. ‘Sethsiripaya’, a government office complex in Sri Jayewardenepura, is being expanded with more office blocks being built to accommodate the latest planned shift. Relocation of government institutions would free up more land for private developers in Colombo where land is in short supply and values high.