Colombo Municipal Council addresses Baseline Road development delays

The Colombo Municipal Council has provided an explanation regarding delays in the Baseline Road development projects. These infrastructure works aim to establish a formal sewerage system to manage wastewater from residential and commercial buildings, a necessity that has previously hindered urban development in the area.

Two major projects are underway: the Kirulapone project, funded by the Sri Lankan government with an investment of approximately 14.5 billion rupees, and the Kirul–Narahenpita project, supported by a 10 billion rupee investment from the European Investment Bank.

The Council identified the primary challenge as the difficulty in accurately locating existing underground infrastructure, including electricity cables, water supply pipes, telecommunication lines, and rainwater drainage systems. Despite technical efforts and collaboration with service providers such as the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB), Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), and Dialog, pinpointing the exact positions of these underground utilities has proven difficult, complicating excavation efforts.