Public infrastructure supply and maintenance are expensive. The users’ willingness to pay is low. Therefore, until this gap is bridged, the supply of quality infrastructure – not only in Colombo but countrywide – will remain a challenge.
In the case of transportation infrastructure, the government has no strategy for financing either supply or maintenance. It collects a hefty sum for putting a vehicle on the road.
For example, if I buy a new 2500cc diesel vehicle from abroad with a cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value of Rs. 5 million, I will pay a 250 percent tax on the CIF value (Rs. 12.5 million). Registration is about 20,000 rupees, and another progressively diminishing tax over seven years – starting from Rs. 150,000 per year and ending at Rs. 30,000 – which averages to about 72,000 rupees per year. The revenue license costs Rs. 3,100 per year. In the first year, it will cost me about 12.7 million rupees but from then, I will be paying less than Rs. 110,000 per year.
Despite this, there are more than a million cars and dual purpose vehicles in the country. There are proportionately about 40,000 cars and dual purpose vehicles in the city. These owners pay a total of 124 million rupees as revenue license fees. There is no data on the cost of maintenance in Colombo but in Bengaluru, it costs an equivalent of 1,900 Sri Lankan Rupees per square metre for pothole fixing.
For a lack of information, if one were to use average figures from the region, scientific maintenance of city roads will cost about Rs. 1.4 million per kilometre of a single lane. This means Colombo car owners only pay to maintain about 88.5 kilometres of single lane roads. The city of Colombo has 480 kilometres of roads. So the rest has to come from taxes.
Whatever the mechanism the city uses to fund it, I am sure most residents will agree that our city roads are in pretty good shape even compared to cities like Washington DC.
The question should be why some citizens have to subsidise the others. Why are property developers not paying for the damage caused by the heavy vehicles they use, which can cause up to 400 times more damage than a car? Why is the Colombo Municipal County (CMC) not examining advanced maintenance methods that are more cost effective and quicker?
Most commentaries up to now have suggested improvements, which can only be done if there is a transparent and equitable mechanism of funding.
We gained our independence in 1948. This year, we celebrated our 70th independence day. Even before getting our independence, the city of Colombo was treated as the main city in this country. Today, this city comes under the central government, Western Province Provincial Council and local government bodies. However, it is sad to say that the infrastructure facilities in Colombo are not up to the required standards, mainly because of corrupt politicians and corrupt henchmen who go after these politicians.
For example, during sudden bouts of rain most of our roads are under water, causing transportation problems for the general public. Recently, we were able to witness the dengue epidemic which resulted in the loss of valuable human lives. Today, roads are in order to a certain extent.
On the other hand, we as the general public are also liable for not doing our part as citizens of this country. For example: we used to throw our leftovers in public places; the other factor in this regard is the waste of resources we use.
Nevertheless, even now it is our duty and responsibility to open our eyes and force relevant officials to develop infrastructure facilities for the benefit of society. Let us forget our differences. Let us work together to make this a clean and safe city, equipped with complete infrastructure facilities.
If infrastructure is to be productive, it cannot depend largely on investments and resources alone. In Sri Lanka, the process is to conduct technical and commercial feasibility and go ahead with a given project.
In addition to this, when making decisions on infrastructure, some of our Asian counterparts make use of big data and IoT etc, combining them with human intelligence to obtain a comprehensive view. These technologies reveal trends, patterns, peaks, off peaks and seasons, and enable effective space and resources allocation, which are scarce. Accordingly, such methods can be useful in setting the frequency of trains and bus services without a mere subjective allocation of same.
Another fact is that infrastructure should mutually support and be integrated with other factors. If pedestrians fear being looted, they are less likely to use overhead bridges in place of zebra crossings, so the overhead bridges may not serve their purpose. If traffic lights close to adjacent junctions are not properly synchronised, widened roads and flyovers will be congested again and will bring us back to square one.
A house, shop and an office space are located closely together, while the distance is rather wide between a train station and nearby main road or bus stop – it could probably be organised better. We have noticed that residential and commercial premises are scattered, popping up everywhere.
Factories and warehouses are functioning in residential neighbourhoods causing disturbances to residents, mostly under the guise of a residential approval obtained through municipal councils. Even for new commercial premises that are coming up, government authorities who grant approvals for the same do not seem to have considered the need to have parking spaces. Then vehicles are parked on pavements meant for pedestrians, putting them at risk. This is one of the main reasons for traffic havoc.
In daily life, one would notice that people are prevented from accessing the most convenient mix of transportation. Train stations, bus stops and main roads are scattered and transferring from one mode to another, say from train to bus or vice versa and mobility from one place to another takes considerable time. The worst is during traffic, peak times and when bad weather strikes with heavy rains. Above all lies the question about systematic town planning.
Blocked drains! Experts claim that although our city is clean, the olfactory sense notices high stench levels. The proper function of drainage and sewerage systems and their maintenance in the city cannot be taken for granted.
For some infrastructure as mentioned above, we see the visible outcomes and realise their gravity when we are struck by the claws of climate change. A good example is rainy days, where going to school or work becomes a nightmare when roads and sidewalks are flooded with overflowing drains and traffic is heavy for hours. Not even an ambulance can make its way in an emergency. In incidents where the city has been flooded, there have been deaths as uncovered drains have claimed innocent human lives.
South Asian countries like Sri Lanka are typically densely populated, especially in the cities and suburbs. Due to this, there is a high propensity of drains getting blocked or encroached and improper disposal of sewerage in residential neighbourhoods and surroundings. This further confirms the priority of a country’s policies in treating waste management including clinical waste in hospitals and dispensaries but not excluding laboratories where such waste accumulates. Also, maintenance of sewerage systems, how the sewerage is treated and to what extent prior to disposing.
In our country, waste is yet to be turned into an opportunity. Proper and continuous maintenance of drain and sewerage lines can prevent sudden flooding in urban areas, prevent many contaminated diseases spreading and help people move around without hassle. Authorities should take a genuine interest and be held accountable. It is also the duty of the public and business sectors to shoulder their responsibility and join hands with these authorities.
In my opinion, the infrastructure of Colombo can still be developed. It is true that Colombo is endowed with many entities such as five star hotels, modern theatres, luxurious apartment schemes etc. However, the basic requirements such as road networks, public toilets, drainage lines etc. are not in proper order. They should be maintained with more concern.
A lot of fuel wastage and vehicle deterioration occurs due to the poor road systems. Also, some of the roads are very narrow and congested. As a result, a lot of traffic jams and accidents take place. The city transportation could be improved by renovating the road systems and also by having more express trains, electric trains, luxury buses etc.
I also feel that WiFi access should be more stable and regularised. WiFi is not accessible or it is limited in most of the city limits. Furthermore, it would be great if most of the systems could be automated as infrastructure is vital to a country’s economic development and prosperity.
I would say that much more needs to be done. We need better roads and more flyovers. We need pavements that people can walk on. We need better and more meaningful road signage. We need potholes to be filled. We need a cleaner environment and much better garbage collection. What are the authorities doing?
If one does a tour of the city of Colombo, what would one see? Broken down roads with big craters. There are many excavations done in different parts of the city with large pipes and other equipment stacked along the roads. The roads are in a terrible state. On a rainy day, it is still worse, as vehicles move at a snail’s pace. The pot holes are so large that even a baby elephant could take a dip. The smooth carpeted roads are a thing of the past. No sooner is the road carpeted and restored to a reasonable level, the next moment you see either the CEB or Water Board breaking up the roads to lay pipes and cables. The construction work goes on for months on end and the roads are never restored to their original condition.
The issue is that there is no public body taking responsibility for this mess. The outcome: frustrated citizens, valuable hours wasted on the road, fuel wastage and deterioration of vehicles. The public transport services of Sri Lanka Transport Board and Ceylon Government Railway leave much to be desired. Overall, the public utility services being provided and maintenance of the city are in a deplorable state.
We rarely notice a building, be it a school, hospital or post office, which is wheel chair accessible. In some instances, need for this service could be complemented with toilet facilities which are accessible for those using wheel chairs or walking sticks.
In service sector organisations, staff could be trained to serve the differently abled with a special counter (without letting them stand in queues), or service them in a lobby downstairs which is convenient for such needy people.
There is potential to implement such services in transport facilities too. The platforms in many stations in the city, as well as throughout the country, and the height of the train/bus seem too high for commuters to board. This makes moving in and out hard even for an average person. Furthermore, this facility could be extended to those who carry children or accompany elders. Much of the infrastructure we see in Sri Lanka has considered an average person who can easily move about when designing layouts of buildings which are patronised by the public.
On a positive note, there are a few exceptions where some government office buildings include a ramp for who those who find it difficult to climb steps. If infrastructure could serve people who are young, old and differently abled, its value would be unlimited.
It’s interesting that this particular topic coincides with the ceremonial opening of the Rs. 4.7 billion steel flyover in Rajagiriya to the public. While it takes a relatively shorter period of time to install a steel flyover than it would to build a concrete flyover of the same length, the former involves high maintenance and repair costs on a regular basis. The choice may be justified for a heavy traffic town like Rajagiriya where it’s quite impossible to let years pass whilst a concrete flyover is erected. But where it’s possible, the authorities should weigh the options available to them very carefully. We hope the new flyover will help ease the heavy traffic between Battaramulla and Borella, particularly during rush hours in the morning and evening. The stretch between Maharagama and Nugegoda on the 138 route is quite infamous for traffic congestion especially in the morning, midday and evening hours. It’ll be most useful to erect yet another flyover somewhere along said stretch of road, saving people’s precious time and fuel cost.
If we really bother to add up the costs that are not immediately visible, it’ll be a worthwhile investment in road infrastructure. But it’s not clear whether the political leaders who get escorted by the police and security forces in VIP style can empathise with the plight of passengers using public transportation or private vehicles, neither of whom enjoy such VIP prerogatives. Another home truth about Colombo is that it can hardly sustain the number of vehicles on the road within its city limits. The authorities concerned must come up with some serious infrastructure plans to ensure passengers’ convenience at least within the city as the traffic is only going to increase over time. Maybe they should resume the monorail project that has been shelved for a while for some reason. The powers that be should really be able to look over the rim of their teacup at the future that’s looming large on the horizon.
I take the simple example of bus halts, while a long list can be highlighted for infrastructure improvements. Even if you take the city of Colombo, the bus halts have nI will take the simple example of bus halts, though a long list can be highlighted for infrastructure improvements. Even in the city of Colombo, the bus halts have not been constructed for the appropriate stops in many an instance. This situation extends to suburbs and in rural areas where it worsens as the bus stops are rarely marked or constructed. To my amusement, there are good quality and trendy bus stops constructed with seating facilities which can accommodate more people to protect them from the weather while commuters are on the go. And a few have set records with WiFi access. Some stops are inadequate to house a large number of people and due to unavailability of sufficient space (say roads not being wide enough), the construction of a bus halt is restricted.
Some of my suggestions for improvements are as follows. At one point, there were bus stops displaying advertisements, which were probably sponsored for publicity and maintained by the respective organisations or brands. However, many of these have been dismantled within city limits. The relevant authorities – including urban councils or the Road Development Authority – could partner with the private sector and construct these where needed. These could also showcase directions and distances which guide commuters while displaying the advertisements. This way the infrastructure serves the public and many other purposes too.
ot been constructed for the identified stops in many an instance. Situation extends to suburbs and in outskirts it worsens as these bus stops are rarely marked /constructed. To much amusement, there are good quality and trendy bus stops constructed with seating facilities, which can accommodate more people to protect them from rain or shine – while commuters are on the go. And a one or few record creating with wifi. Some stops are inadequate to house a large number of people and due to unavailability of adequate space ( say roads not being wide enough ), restricts constructing of a bus halt.
Suggest some improvements as follows. At one point, there were bus stops carrying advertisements, probably sponsored for publicity and maintained by respective organizations or brands. However, many of these within city limits have been dismantled. The relevant authorities including urban councils and or/ RDA ( road development authority ) can partner with private/business sector and construct these relevant places. Probably, these can showcase directions and distances, so that can guide any commuter, while carrying the advertisements too.
This way, infrastructure serving public and on many purposes too.
Public infrastructure supply and maintenance are expensive. The users’ willingness to pay is low. Therefore, until this gap is bridged, the supply of quality infrastructure – not only in Colombo but countrywide – will remain a challenge.
In the case of transportation infrastructure, the government has no strategy for financing either supply or maintenance. It collects a hefty sum for putting a vehicle on the road.
For example, if I buy a new 2500cc diesel vehicle from abroad with a cost, insurance and freight (CIF) value of Rs. 5 million, I will pay a 250 percent tax on the CIF value (Rs. 12.5 million). Registration is about 20,000 rupees, and another progressively diminishing tax over seven years – starting from Rs. 150,000 per year and ending at Rs. 30,000 – which averages to about 72,000 rupees per year. The revenue license costs Rs. 3,100 per year. In the first year, it will cost me about 12.7 million rupees but from then, I will be paying less than Rs. 110,000 per year.
Despite this, there are more than a million cars and dual purpose vehicles in the country. There are proportionately about 40,000 cars and dual purpose vehicles in the city. These owners pay a total of 124 million rupees as revenue license fees. There is no data on the cost of maintenance in Colombo but in Bengaluru, it costs an equivalent of 1,900 Sri Lankan Rupees per square metre for pothole fixing.
For a lack of information, if one were to use average figures from the region, scientific maintenance of city roads will cost about Rs. 1.4 million per kilometre of a single lane. This means Colombo car owners only pay to maintain about 88.5 kilometres of single lane roads. The city of Colombo has 480 kilometres of roads. So the rest has to come from taxes.
Whatever the mechanism the city uses to fund it, I am sure most residents will agree that our city roads are in pretty good shape even compared to cities like Washington DC.
The question should be why some citizens have to subsidise the others. Why are property developers not paying for the damage caused by the heavy vehicles they use, which can cause up to 400 times more damage than a car? Why is the Colombo Municipal County (CMC) not examining advanced maintenance methods that are more cost effective and quicker?
Most commentaries up to now have suggested improvements, which can only be done if there is a transparent and equitable mechanism of funding.
We gained our independence in 1948. This year, we celebrated our 70th independence day. Even before getting our independence, the city of Colombo was treated as the main city in this country. Today, this city comes under the central government, Western Province Provincial Council and local government bodies. However, it is sad to say that the infrastructure facilities in Colombo are not up to the required standards, mainly because of corrupt politicians and corrupt henchmen who go after these politicians.
For example, during sudden bouts of rain most of our roads are under water, causing transportation problems for the general public. Recently, we were able to witness the dengue epidemic which resulted in the loss of valuable human lives. Today, roads are in order to a certain extent.
On the other hand, we as the general public are also liable for not doing our part as citizens of this country. For example: we used to throw our leftovers in public places; the other factor in this regard is the waste of resources we use.
Nevertheless, even now it is our duty and responsibility to open our eyes and force relevant officials to develop infrastructure facilities for the benefit of society. Let us forget our differences. Let us work together to make this a clean and safe city, equipped with complete infrastructure facilities.
If infrastructure is to be productive, it cannot depend largely on investments and resources alone. In Sri Lanka, the process is to conduct technical and commercial feasibility and go ahead with a given project.
In addition to this, when making decisions on infrastructure, some of our Asian counterparts make use of big data and IoT etc, combining them with human intelligence to obtain a comprehensive view. These technologies reveal trends, patterns, peaks, off peaks and seasons, and enable effective space and resources allocation, which are scarce. Accordingly, such methods can be useful in setting the frequency of trains and bus services without a mere subjective allocation of same.
Another fact is that infrastructure should mutually support and be integrated with other factors. If pedestrians fear being looted, they are less likely to use overhead bridges in place of zebra crossings, so the overhead bridges may not serve their purpose. If traffic lights close to adjacent junctions are not properly synchronised, widened roads and flyovers will be congested again and will bring us back to square one.
A house, shop and an office space are located closely together, while the distance is rather wide between a train station and nearby main road or bus stop – it could probably be organised better. We have noticed that residential and commercial premises are scattered, popping up everywhere.
Factories and warehouses are functioning in residential neighbourhoods causing disturbances to residents, mostly under the guise of a residential approval obtained through municipal councils. Even for new commercial premises that are coming up, government authorities who grant approvals for the same do not seem to have considered the need to have parking spaces. Then vehicles are parked on pavements meant for pedestrians, putting them at risk. This is one of the main reasons for traffic havoc.
In daily life, one would notice that people are prevented from accessing the most convenient mix of transportation. Train stations, bus stops and main roads are scattered and transferring from one mode to another, say from train to bus or vice versa and mobility from one place to another takes considerable time. The worst is during traffic, peak times and when bad weather strikes with heavy rains. Above all lies the question about systematic town planning.
Blocked drains! Experts claim that although our city is clean, the olfactory sense notices high stench levels. The proper function of drainage and sewerage systems and their maintenance in the city cannot be taken for granted.
For some infrastructure as mentioned above, we see the visible outcomes and realise their gravity when we are struck by the claws of climate change. A good example is rainy days, where going to school or work becomes a nightmare when roads and sidewalks are flooded with overflowing drains and traffic is heavy for hours. Not even an ambulance can make its way in an emergency. In incidents where the city has been flooded, there have been deaths as uncovered drains have claimed innocent human lives.
South Asian countries like Sri Lanka are typically densely populated, especially in the cities and suburbs. Due to this, there is a high propensity of drains getting blocked or encroached and improper disposal of sewerage in residential neighbourhoods and surroundings. This further confirms the priority of a country’s policies in treating waste management including clinical waste in hospitals and dispensaries but not excluding laboratories where such waste accumulates. Also, maintenance of sewerage systems, how the sewerage is treated and to what extent prior to disposing.
In our country, waste is yet to be turned into an opportunity. Proper and continuous maintenance of drain and sewerage lines can prevent sudden flooding in urban areas, prevent many contaminated diseases spreading and help people move around without hassle. Authorities should take a genuine interest and be held accountable. It is also the duty of the public and business sectors to shoulder their responsibility and join hands with these authorities.
In my opinion, the infrastructure of Colombo can still be developed. It is true that Colombo is endowed with many entities such as five star hotels, modern theatres, luxurious apartment schemes etc. However, the basic requirements such as road networks, public toilets, drainage lines etc. are not in proper order. They should be maintained with more concern.
A lot of fuel wastage and vehicle deterioration occurs due to the poor road systems. Also, some of the roads are very narrow and congested. As a result, a lot of traffic jams and accidents take place. The city transportation could be improved by renovating the road systems and also by having more express trains, electric trains, luxury buses etc.
I also feel that WiFi access should be more stable and regularised. WiFi is not accessible or it is limited in most of the city limits. Furthermore, it would be great if most of the systems could be automated as infrastructure is vital to a country’s economic development and prosperity.
I would say that much more needs to be done. We need better roads and more flyovers. We need pavements that people can walk on. We need better and more meaningful road signage. We need potholes to be filled. We need a cleaner environment and much better garbage collection. What are the authorities doing?
If one does a tour of the city of Colombo, what would one see? Broken down roads with big craters. There are many excavations done in different parts of the city with large pipes and other equipment stacked along the roads. The roads are in a terrible state. On a rainy day, it is still worse, as vehicles move at a snail’s pace. The pot holes are so large that even a baby elephant could take a dip. The smooth carpeted roads are a thing of the past. No sooner is the road carpeted and restored to a reasonable level, the next moment you see either the CEB or Water Board breaking up the roads to lay pipes and cables. The construction work goes on for months on end and the roads are never restored to their original condition.
The issue is that there is no public body taking responsibility for this mess. The outcome: frustrated citizens, valuable hours wasted on the road, fuel wastage and deterioration of vehicles. The public transport services of Sri Lanka Transport Board and Ceylon Government Railway leave much to be desired. Overall, the public utility services being provided and maintenance of the city are in a deplorable state.
We rarely notice a building, be it a school, hospital or post office, which is wheel chair accessible. In some instances, need for this service could be complemented with toilet facilities which are accessible for those using wheel chairs or walking sticks.
In service sector organisations, staff could be trained to serve the differently abled with a special counter (without letting them stand in queues), or service them in a lobby downstairs which is convenient for such needy people.
There is potential to implement such services in transport facilities too. The platforms in many stations in the city, as well as throughout the country, and the height of the train/bus seem too high for commuters to board. This makes moving in and out hard even for an average person. Furthermore, this facility could be extended to those who carry children or accompany elders. Much of the infrastructure we see in Sri Lanka has considered an average person who can easily move about when designing layouts of buildings which are patronised by the public.
On a positive note, there are a few exceptions where some government office buildings include a ramp for who those who find it difficult to climb steps. If infrastructure could serve people who are young, old and differently abled, its value would be unlimited.
It’s interesting that this particular topic coincides with the ceremonial opening of the Rs. 4.7 billion steel flyover in Rajagiriya to the public. While it takes a relatively shorter period of time to install a steel flyover than it would to build a concrete flyover of the same length, the former involves high maintenance and repair costs on a regular basis. The choice may be justified for a heavy traffic town like Rajagiriya where it’s quite impossible to let years pass whilst a concrete flyover is erected. But where it’s possible, the authorities should weigh the options available to them very carefully. We hope the new flyover will help ease the heavy traffic between Battaramulla and Borella, particularly during rush hours in the morning and evening. The stretch between Maharagama and Nugegoda on the 138 route is quite infamous for traffic congestion especially in the morning, midday and evening hours. It’ll be most useful to erect yet another flyover somewhere along said stretch of road, saving people’s precious time and fuel cost.
If we really bother to add up the costs that are not immediately visible, it’ll be a worthwhile investment in road infrastructure. But it’s not clear whether the political leaders who get escorted by the police and security forces in VIP style can empathise with the plight of passengers using public transportation or private vehicles, neither of whom enjoy such VIP prerogatives. Another home truth about Colombo is that it can hardly sustain the number of vehicles on the road within its city limits. The authorities concerned must come up with some serious infrastructure plans to ensure passengers’ convenience at least within the city as the traffic is only going to increase over time. Maybe they should resume the monorail project that has been shelved for a while for some reason. The powers that be should really be able to look over the rim of their teacup at the future that’s looming large on the horizon.
I take the simple example of bus halts, while a long list can be highlighted for infrastructure improvements. Even if you take the city of Colombo, the bus halts have nI will take the simple example of bus halts, though a long list can be highlighted for infrastructure improvements. Even in the city of Colombo, the bus halts have not been constructed for the appropriate stops in many an instance. This situation extends to suburbs and in rural areas where it worsens as the bus stops are rarely marked or constructed. To my amusement, there are good quality and trendy bus stops constructed with seating facilities which can accommodate more people to protect them from the weather while commuters are on the go. And a few have set records with WiFi access. Some stops are inadequate to house a large number of people and due to unavailability of sufficient space (say roads not being wide enough), the construction of a bus halt is restricted.
Some of my suggestions for improvements are as follows. At one point, there were bus stops displaying advertisements, which were probably sponsored for publicity and maintained by the respective organisations or brands. However, many of these have been dismantled within city limits. The relevant authorities – including urban councils or the Road Development Authority – could partner with the private sector and construct these where needed. These could also showcase directions and distances which guide commuters while displaying the advertisements. This way the infrastructure serves the public and many other purposes too.
ot been constructed for the identified stops in many an instance. Situation extends to suburbs and in outskirts it worsens as these bus stops are rarely marked /constructed. To much amusement, there are good quality and trendy bus stops constructed with seating facilities, which can accommodate more people to protect them from rain or shine – while commuters are on the go. And a one or few record creating with wifi. Some stops are inadequate to house a large number of people and due to unavailability of adequate space ( say roads not being wide enough ), restricts constructing of a bus halt.
Suggest some improvements as follows. At one point, there were bus stops carrying advertisements, probably sponsored for publicity and maintained by respective organizations or brands. However, many of these within city limits have been dismantled. The relevant authorities including urban councils and or/ RDA ( road development authority ) can partner with private/business sector and construct these relevant places. Probably, these can showcase directions and distances, so that can guide any commuter, while carrying the advertisements too.
This way, infrastructure serving public and on many purposes too.