A Bus Rapid Transit Solution Could be Faster and Cheaper for Colombo, Capital of Sri Lanka - Amal Kumarage, a professor from Moratuwa University

28th March 2013, www.lankabusinessonline.com

A bus rapid transit (BRT) solution could be implemented faster and at a much lower cost while more capital intensive rail based Metro systems are built, to prevent gridlock in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, officials said.

Amal Kumarage, a professor from Sri Lanka's Moratuwa University and an expert on transport that the share of public transport had dropped below 50 percent in Colombo from 80 percent in the late 1980s.

"So we need to do something radically different to make public transport have the appeal that will make it more attractive," Kumarage told the LBR-LBO chief executive officers forum, made up senior corporate executives in Colombo.

"We must ensure that the capacity that is needed in the future comes from quality public transport," Kumarage said.

"And where is that quality. It comes from bus rapid transit, metros. These are the technologies out there and I do not think, retrofitting and improving what we have will get us there."

The share of bus transport in Sri Lanka was expected to drop from 55 in 2011 to 41 percent in 2021, rail would be flat at 5 percent and private transport would rise from 26 percent to 38 percent.

Kumarage said Sri Lanka probably had the best transport network in Asia outside Japan in the 1950s but it weakened after that.

The state has been investing heavily in transport in recent years, but mostly in the road network roads around the country, especially rebuilding a system that was under-invested during a 30-year war.

Kumarage said the state had been investing about 3.0 percent of gross domestic product in transport and the private sector 2.0 percent, which was good.

But urban congestion cannot be solved by roads alone, Kumarage said. In congested areas like Colombo public transport should not be allowed to drop below 50 percent, based on the international experience he said.

Colombo's traffic is expected to slow down further as incomes rise and people drop low quality bus transport. Officials say there is an excess of buses in some areas.

Colombo's average traffic speed may drop to 17.4 kilometres per hour from 21.6 in 2021 and it may drop to 9.1 kilometres in 2031 unless public transport was changed.

Strategies such as congestion pricing could be introduced, which Rohan Samarajiva, head of LirneAsia, a regional policy research body, said

But before that, people needed an alternative system to use.

D S Jayaweera from the ministry of finance said authorities had devised a system to start a bus rapid transit route several years ago but it had not been done.

Kumarage said bus rapid systems in India and South America, which use special lanes had brought quick results.

The can be implemented for a lower cost and even reversed later.

Kumarage said several BRT routes could be developed in Colombo with minimal investments to clear bottlenecks. Though parts of six lane roads have been used, parts of four lane roads have been successfully converted to BRT routes he said.

Helped by the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) Sri Lanka is launching a study for a transport master plan for the Greater Colombo region, with JICA being ready to finance the first section of a mass rapid transit (MRT) system.

MRT systems are however can cost 30 million US dollars or more per kilometer to build though they are very efficient at moving large numbers of people fast. Mass rail systems could be combined with BRTs.

India to Build Sri Lanka's Remaining North Railway. $ 149.3mn Contract Given to Indian Railway Construction International Ltd (lRCON)

15th July 2011, www.lankabusinessonline.com

India's state-run Indian Railway Construction International Ltd (lRCON) has been given a 149.3 million US dollar contract to build a remaining part of a railway track to Sri Lanka's north, the government's information office said.

The entire track from Vavuniya to Jaffna was destroyed during a civil war which ended in 2009.

A railway track from the northern town of Vavuniya to Omanthai has already been built and trains are being run.

The track from Omanthai to Pallai has already been awarded to IRCON.

The balance part of the track from Pallai to Kankasanthurai in Jaffna has also been awarded to IRCON by the cabinet of ministers.

The 149.3 million dollar project is financed by the Exim Bank of India, the statement said.

Related Info :

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• Sri Lanka Launches North South Bus Service for the First Time in History
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Sri Lanka Launches North South Bus Service for the First Time in History

10th July 2011, www.asiantribune.com, By Muditha Gamage

Sri Lanka on Friday commenced the North and the South bus service from Point Pedro to Dondra Head, first time in the country’s history.

The inauguration ceremony for the launch of this bus service was held today in Kalutara under the patronage of the Minister of Transport Kumara Welgama.

Under this special bus service, two buses will operate from Point Dondra and Point Pedro at 4.15 am and 5.30 am and reach Point Pedro and Point Dondra at 9.30 pm and 10.45 pm. Respectively.

The Point Pedro bus depot has deployed two semi-luxury buses.

The one-way fare will be 855 rupees.

The bus starts from Point Pedro and will pass through Vavuniya, Anuradhapura, Colombo, Kalutara, Ambalangoda, Galle and Matara.

Picture Courtesy: www.newsradio.me

Related Info :

• Colombo-Jaffna Bus Service Starts, Sri Lanka Transport Board Offers Normal and Semi-Luxury Services

• Sri Lanka's First Expreessway First Stage to Open in July. Bus Services Planned

• Sri Lanka Introduces Bus Ticket Booking Via Mobiles

• Ashok Leyland Sees Massive Growth in Sri Lanka - CEO Gautam

Fast Train Services Link Sri Lanka's International Airport to Colombo City

01st June 2010, www.news.lk

A Super fast train service links the Bandaranaike International Airport with the city of Colombo from today.

The journey will take 30 minutes and it will run three to four times each way daily. This will greatly facilitate the distinguished visitors arriving this week to attend the Indian mega film awards ceremony IIFA.

Transport Minister Kumar Welgama and Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa inaugurated the new train service this morning.

The luxury train service is administered by the Airport & Aviation Services Limited (AASL). The AASL has hired a luxury train with air-conditioned coaches from Sri Lanka Railway for this special service.

Airport Express Luxury Train Service Operating Schedule

Boat Service for Commuter Transport Started in Colombo, Sri Lanka. 45 Minute Journey Shortened to 12

March 2010, www.navy.lk

With a view to provide a hassle-free, environment-friendly mode of transport and to ease the congestion in road traffic, Sri Lanka Navy has launched a canal boat service between Wellawatte and Nawala.

The measure comes into effect in accordance with the concept of His Excellency the President in using Greater Colombo canals for water transport and recreation. Deputy Area Commander of the Western Naval Command Commodore S Jayakody and the Registrar of the Open University attended the inaugural ceremony held today (15th March 2010) with the participation of university students and well wishers.

The boat service operates along the Wellawatte-Kirulapona canal between St. Peter’s College in Wellawatte and the Open University in Nawala. The canal way for the purpose was cleaned and made ready by the Sri Lanka Navy with the assistance of the Land Reclamation Board, Central Environmental Authority and the respective Municipal Councils.

Four (04) boats with safety-equipment have been deployed between 7.45 to 9.00 in the morning and 4.00 to 6.00 in the evening daily. As the initial step, they transport the students and the staff of the Open University free of charge assisting them to attend to their academic activities on time.

Measures are under way under the direction of the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe to expand the canal boat service for the convenience of the General Public. Necessary infrastructure is being developed to expedite the process in collaboration with relevant Government officials and institutions.

ADB Fund Northern Road Connectivity Project in Sri Lanka

05th January 2010, www.lankabusinessonline.com

The Asian Development Bank said the first batch of bidding documents for a road project it is funding in northern Sri Lanka is expected to be available this month. The proposed Northern Road Connectivity Project will cover repairs to about 120 km of national highways in the northern and north-central provinces and about 141 km of provincial roads in the north.

It also includes building or repairing bridges in the two provinces.

The ADB will lend about 130 million dollars for the project, the biggest in the bank’s aid pipeline for the island this year.

Roads in northern Sri Lanka were badly damaged or neglected because of the island’s 30-year ethnic war which ended in May 2009 when government forces defeated Tamil Tiger separatists.

The ADB said in a statement procurement to be financed under the project will be carried out in accordance with ADB's procurement guidelines.

The bank has said it is refocusing its aid to Sri Lanka to cover rebuilding of the north and east where infrastructure was destroyed or neglected because of the war which was fought mainly in those areas.

Rural People Maintaining Roads Reduces Poverty. ADB Projects Brings Two Way Benefits - An ADB Project

16th December 2009, www.dailymirror.lk

Isolated rural villages in Sri Lanka will be connected to provincial road networks through an innovative project that will work closely with local governments to employ poor villagers, particularly women, to rehabilitate and maintain rural access roads in their area.

The ADB Board of Directors approved a $3 million grant from the Japan Fund For Poverty Reduction - funded by the Government of Japan and administered by ADB - to finance the project in more than 60 villages in the Eastern and North Central provinces.

Some 10,000 families in the project area have been marginalized from mainstream development and remain in poverty because rural access roads to their villages are either in poor conditions or do not exist. Most of the families depend on the government's welfare program, which barely meets their daily needs.

The ADB project will upgrade about 250 km of rural access roads, and pilot test a plan to improve rural transport services, to connect local communities to the provincial roads or to essential social services facilities. Four local non government organizations (NGOs) will be retained to identify, train and supervise up to 2,000 community members to work on road rehabilitation and maintenance. Another 900 community members will be given relevant skill training for livelihood development. At least 50% of the workers will be women, with opportunities extended to war widows and female heads of household.

The NGOs will also assist the workers in opening and maintaining bank accounts so that a portion of the workers income will be paid directly into individual accounts. These savings may provide a base for the establishment of micro and small-scale enterprises after completion of the road work.

"Isolation and marginalization are fundamental causes of poverty, and the villages in the project area have been isolated and marginalized for many years," said Francesco Tornieri, Social Development Specialist in ADB's South Asia Department.

"Through the rehabilitation of rural access road, this project will help address the underlying causes of poverty and provide sustainable livelihood opportunities to a considerable number of the poor," added Mr. Tornieri.