Commenting on urbanization, he said it was inevitable. “This is not because we want to transplant people from rural areas into big cities but it is that the suburban and rural areas are getting built up fast, all merging into the urban infrastructure. “Already there are reports which say that by 2050, 70% of world’s population is expected to live in urban areas.”
The Minister also said that in Sri Lanka too the urban areas get prosperous and the rural areas get nothing. “This is because, statistically, urban areas have higher GDPs than rural areas all over the world.“There are separate plans to ensure the growth of the rural sector which are being implemented now to ensure that both the city and rural areas develop simultaneously.
“But there is greater opportunity in the synergies of a city, especially because people from different walks of life come together and they fuel growth and consumption. Top cities have grown faster in Gross Domestic Product than the rate of their country’s GDP growth. Major cities are the source of a nation’s wealth, not the other way around. In the markets of a nation’s major cities, investment, trade and consumption take place.”
“The port city will bring a new ingredient to the table to mix and match with our local flavors. As Sri Lankans, we all want to keep our identity. It will be a city within a city, sitting on the edge of the Indian Ocean with world class standards that will attract the right investor and long term partners who will benefit our nation.”
“We have reached a very important milestone in the Port City project as the Development Control Regulations (DCR), are now ready to be implemented. The DCR was presented to me and the UDA, about a month ago and today we are at the ceremonial launch of this master plan.”
The DCR was prepared by Surbana Jurong, a Singaporean urban design consultancy and Atkins, a UK-based engineering consultancy. When complete the city will have reclaimed 269 hectares with 116 hectares being handed over to China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), which is the parent company of China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC).
The remaining land, which will be owned by the Sri Lankan Government and will be divided with 62 hectares to be used to set up a financial city and 91 hectares to be used as public spaces.Managing Director of CHEC Port City Jiang Hauliang said, the Port City project is on schedule and its structures are designed in such a manner that taller towers are at the rear and shorter buildings are towards the sea.”For the first time pedestrians too would get the opportunity to walk through buildings and would not have to use the road all the time.
