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Floating market in dire need of makeover, say tenants, tourists
View(s):By Ishu Bandara
Plans are afoot to renovate Colombo’s floating market which has fallen to neglect with poor facilities for shop tenants and visitors. The Urban Development Authority (UDA) will carry out repairs and then explore management and maintenance partnerships.
The Colombo Regional Development Committee meeting was held at the Colombo Divisional Secretariat auditorium on December 23, during which it was decided to prioritise renovations and establish suitable sanitary facilities, said Minister of Urban Development (UD), Construction, and Housing Anura Karunathilake.
Responsibility over projects like the floating market was delegated to the UDA under a previous administration, he pointed out. However, as it was challenging for a single entity to manage, a business model is being explored for which discussions have started with two Japanese companies. The Minister said local parties were welcome to join.
Jana Zelinlova
“We will issue open tenders and proceed according to government policy,” he maintained. While a full renovation could take some years, the UDA has been instructed to address urgent issues like sanitation, security and garbage collection within the next few weeks. Other work is expected to begin in January 2025.
UDA Deputy Director General (Real Estate & Land Management) E.A.C. Priyashantha said significant investments were made over the years just to maintain the facility. While maintenance costs around Rs. 2-3mn a month, incomes from shops are only around Rs. 600,000 to 700,000. The heavy costs had caused the UDA to consider handing it over to a private entity for development and maintenance.
“We found a Japanese investor interested in establishing a cultural hub that showcases their cuisine and heritage,” he continued. “A memorandum of understanding was signed at the beginning of this year with the project now in an advanced stage.”
“The investor has proposed a unique development plan and until it is finalised the UDA is committed to ensuring that no additional government funds are spent on the project,” he said. But the Authority continues handling essential services such as water supply, electricity and cleaning.
A visit to the floating market by the Sunday Times revealed serious neglect. The Beira Lake is surrounded by garbage. Foreigners were seen photographing the dirty lake. Cleaning the lake, including dredging, is the responsibility of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation (SLDC).
“Many shop tenants are not adhering to the original concept of the floating market, which was to sell traditional items like handlooms,” Mr. Priyashantha said. “We plan to restore the original idea.”
A worker in the area pointed to a lack of security. He also alleged that space had been unfairly allocated—some were given up to 20 shops but used them as storage. Everyone interviewed requested anonymity.
The Sunday Times observed that the security roster had just three people with only one on duty at a time. It was widely felt that this was inadequate for such a large area. Reports of robbers roaming the market while also targeting visitors have exacerbated concerns.
Area sources said some manpower employers even use the market as a meeting place for employees brought to Colombo from distant villages. These workers are often given unrelated jobs, like looking after pig farms or crushing coconut husks. Refusal leads to a loss of employment and belongings. The sources claimed some of them were also involved in robberies.
Visitors often get their feet stuck in gaps in the wooden walkway leading to the market, tenants said. They recently helped a woman to free her leg from one such hole. Someone could fall into the lake and suffer a fatality, they feared.
When asked about this, Mr. Priyashantha said there were plans to carry out repairs, especially to the damaged pathway.
While there are 91 shops in the market, only a few are open. Most displayed notices from the UDA that tenants could enter after settling their rents. If this is not done within 14 days, the UDA auctions the goods inside.
A tenant said they had asked for a bridge to be built in the in the middle of the floating market to improve accessibility and attract more visitors, but this has not been addressed. They believe the market could still be profitable with better management and infrastructure and called on the government to assume responsibility for losses caused by inadequate facilities.
Unsightly sight: More like floating debris than floating market. Pix by Akila Jayawardena
“Recently, the Sri Lanka Navy withdrew their team from cleaning the floating market area, leading to a lack of maintenance,” said UDA Facility Management Director Nihal Ranasinghe.
There are no proper signs to direct people to the market. The road leading to the market is blocked by shops on both sides, making access difficult. Another road was closed after the Easter bombings, leading to a significant drop in the number of passers-by.
“Previously, the road was open from morning to night, attracting many commuters who would buy meals, snacks, and even water bottles,” a worker said. “With the road entirely closed, these sales opportunities have vanished.”
There was inadequate parking. Allowing 50 metres on either side of the entrance could draw in more visitors, a tenant said, pointing out that the threat of police fines now kept many away. He also suggested that a café be set up within the market. Basic maintenance was critical. Water fountains did not work, wooden floorboards were broken and everything is in disrepair.
There were complaints, too, that tenants did not properly separate their garbage, leading cleaners to waste much time sorting the trash before binning it. But tenants countered that it was visitors that were responsible—including outsiders who slept there in the night and duped garbage carelessly into bins.
The bins were also inadequately sized. Much of the refused ended up outside of them, creating a mess. Many had no lids, attracting that scattered garbage even further.
Jana Zelinlova, a Czech tourist near the floating market, said, “This problem is not just here but also in other cities and villages in Sri Lanka. Teaching ecology in schools, organising proper waste collection in households, and banning the burning of plastics can help address these problems.”
“When I saw this issue in Beira Lake, I wrote to some friends abroad and they said they’d love to help clean up the trash and turn it into a beautiful natural waterfront,” she added. “As tourists, we all love this beautiful country.”
Zelinlova compared the floating market area to a similar location in the Czech capital. “In Prague, we have a lot of plants, cafes, benches, play areas for children, and dedicated staff to maintain cleanliness and prevent littering. In Europe, there are heavy fines for throwing garbage on the streets.”
She also said a tourist centre would be helpful as she had struggled to find the right buses and timetables. “There should also be information boards on ecology for locals and a clear price list of fines for littering,” she stressed.
Other complaints abounded: such as reports of liquor consumption, drug use and other abuses in the area. Those in the area expressed hope that the government would prioritise these matters and transform the floating market into a more elegant and welcoming place for both locals and foreigners.
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