News
EIA report shows huge resettlement cost of new light rail project
View(s):The overall cost of resettlement from building three lines under the Western Region Light Rail Transit Project (WRLRTP) is estimated at US$ 74.6mn or Rs 14.4 billion at the current exchange rate, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report released this week shows.
However, this cost is only for private land and property-related land acquisitions, rehabilitation, resettlement and project management, the report says. It does not include the cost of damages, removal, replacement or re-fixing of infrastructure owned and managed by various State institutions.
Private land represents 29 percent of the project’s total land requirement. A total of 149 privately-owned structures are to be fully affected along with 193 which will be partially damaged.
The WRLRTP is separate from the Colombo-Malabe Light Rail Transit project, for which a loan was secured from Japan International Cooperation Agency and then cancelled. The new project will have three lines: Red, Blue and Green. It will be a public-private partnership.
The EIA’s social impact assessment survey team found that 66 percent of affected families were fully or partially dependent on the business activities, highland crops and service sector employment. A few sections were identified that will have significant resettlement impact. They are on the Ganemulla-Kadawatha Road; near Pattiya Junction; near Peliyagoda; at Armour Street Junction; and the Kirulapone area.
The Red Line starts at the Ragama Railway station, passes along the Outer Circular Expressway to the Kadawatha multi-modal centre and reaches Fort Railway Station via Kiribathgoda, Kelaniya University, Peliyagoda, Panchikawatte and Maradana. It then goes to Kirulapone past the Regal Cinema, Komapnnaveediya, Nawaloka Hospital, Altair, Colombo City Centre, Nawam Mawatha and Kollupitiya. It turns to Colombo University along Duplication Road, passes Thunmulla Junction and Havelock City to meet the Green Line at Kirulapone.
The Green Line will begin at the Moratuwa railway station and proceed to Piliyandala passing Katubedda and the Moratuwa University. It will then take the 120 bus route, past Werahera, Boralesgamuwa and the Jayewardenapura University and turn into the Old Kesbewa Road to reach Nugegoda via Delkanda Junction. It touches the end station of the Red Line at Kirulapone before going along the Baseline Road via Narahenpita, Borella and Dematagoda to the end of the line at the Kelaniya railway station.
The Blue Line begins at the Makumbura (Kottawa) multi-modal transport hub, passes along the High-Level Road to Pannipitiya and then along the 174 bus route, through Depanama, Thalawathugoda and Isurupaya. It turns the Palan Thuna Junction to Denzil Kobbekaduwa Mawatha. It then passes the Road Development Authority head office, the Koswatta multi-modal centre, Mulleriyawa, Angoda and Kelaniya Temple to meet the Red Line and Kandy Road at Tyre Junction to end at the Hunupitiya Railway Station.