Govt. invites bids for ferry transport system in Colombo

The Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLLRDC), under the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development, has called for tenders for the first leg of the proposed ferry transport system in Colombo.

The project will be implemented as a public-private partnership.

As detailed in the 2016 Megapolis transport master plan, several of Colombo’s inland waterways will be utilized for passenger ferries whereby commuters and recreational users may travel across various parts of Colombo, avoiding the traffic and enjoying the scenic views.

The first phase will be a service from Wellawatte to Battaramulla.

A ferry service from Colombo Fort to Union Place in the Beira Lake, as well as from Mattakkuliya to Hanwella, along the Kelani River, is also in the pipeline, as are potential other routes such as the Hamilton Canal towards Negombo.

The tender process—which is open to both international and local investors—is being supported by PPP advisors from the Netherlands government, under a government-togovernment technical assistance initiative.

SLLRDC will be the lead agency for the project.

The service along the Wellawatte-battaramulla canal is expected to be operational in early 2018, and the Beira Lake ferry to be operational within the year as well.