Grand strategy to make Lanka a developed nation; Aero City in addition to Colombo Port City

The Chinese-backed Colombo Port City project, which Government leaders during both presidential and parliamentary election campaigns declared would be dropped, has been given pride of place in “Sri Lanka’s grand strategy to become a developed nation.”

The Colombo Port City: Rising again as the country’s main development project

An overview of this “grand strategy” was presented this week at the investment promotion seminar by Megapolis and Western Province Development Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka. He said the Port City was expected to be “the most vibrant part of the Maritime City,” and added that it “will bring an exciting opportunity to innovate, design and develop a New World-Class City based on international experiences especially adapted to the Sri Lankan context and site specific conditions.”

Some of the highlights spelt out by Minister Ranawaka: “The new city will tap the intrinsic values of the region and environment to create a new ideal modern community for business, living and leisure. This will help attract companies and investors, to ensure it will become a beacon of excellence for Sri Lanka, representing an ambitious yet achievable vision.

The Port City will be guided by four core goals:

• Aspiration (a place of progress, prosperity and opportunity); 
• Heritage (a place of character and culture); 
• Recreation (a vibrant/youthful work and living playground); 
• Gracious living (balancing functional and emotional needs).

The Port City is planned as vibrant, mixed-use district with waterfront promenade and a loop of attractions and vibrant public spaces; together with 24/7 activities based on sustainable development strategies. A circulation system that allows access to the waterfront is introduced to site by locating key public developments as a catalyst to become landmark sites. To cater for good connectivity and seamless extension, the development parcels at Port City are planned based on a grid urban pattern which extends from the existing road network within the downtown area.

This grid creates a flexible framework with a series of land parcels that can be combined or sub-divided to meet requirements or cater to changing demands and allow the phasing of developments. The Port City will be Sri Lanka’s most exciting and ambitious urban project designed to support continuing growth as a major business and financial hub in South Asia. It will raise the Western Region Megapolis Master Plan international profile of Sri Lanka…., he said
The Maritime City will include, as part of it, a Port City which is proposed to be built on reclaimed land adjoining the Sea-Port, and will, in addition, include,

• A Trading Hub for Tea,
• A Trading Hub for Gems 
• A Trading Hub for Minerals
• The ‘Free Port’ – North Harbour Project to be implemented by Sri Lanka Ports Authority 
• An Oil and Gas Exchange (the Gas Terminal will be fed by the Natural Gas Pipe Line originating from Mannar Basin and passing through Norochcholai, while the Oil exchange will be fed by the Oil Refinery proposed to be set up in Hambantota)

Minister Ranawaka also told prospective investors that there would be an Aero City, which will involve development of airport infrastructure including Aerodrome, New Passenger Terminal, Aero-City Business Park, Airport Hotel and an International Convention Centre, along with the development of an Aero-City Residential Township in Minuwangoda. Some details of the Aero City:

Various types of housing, recreational, commercial and public facilities will be integrated in the township, ensuring a good quality living environment. This project will attract investors in the airport development, airport operation & management, aviation related industrial developers as well as real estate developers. Western Region Megapolis Master Plan specific projects to be undertaken under ‘Aero City’ development include the following:

• Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) Aerodrome Upgrade 
• Expansion of Existing Passenger Terminal Building at BIA 
• BIA Development Project Stage II Phase II 
• Transit Hotel at BIA 
• Proposed Runway of BIA 
• Establishment of the Business Park in the Aero City 
• Establishment of Convention and Expo Center in the Aero City 
• Establishment of the Hotel School in the Aero City 
• Car Rental and Transport Facilities in the Aero City 
• Aero City Township Development – Divulapitiya

In addition, a separate zone named ‘Logistics Village’ will be established to cater to the logistics needs of the overall Aero Maritime Trade Hub.

The implementation of this grand strategy involves two fundamental transformations. The first is the much needed structural transformation of the economy where the manufacturing sector as well as the tradable services involving hi-tech, should comprise the major component of the economy, with exports accounting for at least one third of the GDP. The other transformation which needs to be effected in parallel, and indeed, what would drive the above structural transformation, is the spatial transformation of the Western Region. The planning philosophy that guides the formulation of objectives and strategies for realisation of those national goals is based on four fundamental pillars namely ‘economic growth and prosperity’, ‘social equity’, ‘environmental sustainability’ and individual happiness…….”