Video: Tunnel under Kandy

20 February 2014 12:07 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 28 Bookmark

CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA Follow

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Under the Strategic Cities Development Project the government was planning to build a three kilometer tunnel in the Kandy city to ease the prevailing traffic congestion, Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said today.

While addressing a Cabinet briefing he said the Project was being formulated by the Ministry of Finance and Planning to build the tunnel from Bogambara to Buwelikada in Kandy going under the Kandy Lake.

“This will definitely reduce the traffic in the town and the officials said that they had already finished the feasibility study,” he said.

The Strategic Cities Development Project plans for Galle and Kandy cities on Major developments in the country.

He said, together with a transport improvement, plans to overcome traffic issues in the Kandy city were identified as priority needs under this project.
The proposal made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as the Minister of Defence and Urban Development.

The plans for Environmental Assessments by the University of Moratuwa and Social Assessments by the University of Peradeniya had been approved by the Cabinet, he said. (News and Video by Chaturanga Pradeep)
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Video by Chaturanga Pradeep

Comments - 28

mewan Thursday, 20 February 2014 02:28 PM

You guys should be kept in the hills.

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KD Friday, 21 February 2014 12:31 AM

How much are you getting for this comment ?
First of all, the cost of building such a tunnel would be so high compared to other options such as building over passes that could easily follow the lake round route. Let alone maintenance and safety costs which would be ongoing. 3km tunnel is a gas chamber, In anycase has there been an independent cost-benefit analysis of options available? I guess not!

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ab Friday, 21 February 2014 05:04 AM

why not construct a bridge. construction of a tunnel is more costly. why waste money? via DM Android App

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Yohan Thursday, 20 February 2014 11:17 PM

A good idea, but need to be vary careful. Kandy is a very speacil place for us Sri lankens. Should not risk any heritage sites.

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Malinda Thursday, 20 February 2014 11:14 PM

Just allow for traffic to go past the Maligawa. Turn the prison into a bus stop. Widen all roads around the Bogambara region for fast flow traffic. Make hospital traffic one way towards the hospital from Bogamabara and make the residents of Hanthana go around Bogambara. Kandy would have to be intelligently designed as the city functions mainly through foot traffic.

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KD Thursday, 20 February 2014 10:08 PM

What if someone sleep walks in the tunnel?

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Randy Thursday, 20 February 2014 04:18 PM

the tunnel is planned from Bogambara ( Prison area) to Buwelikada ( between Dharmaraja-Lewella junction) This is not about kandy colombo rd, this about minimizing the traffic coming from Badulla, Mahiyanganaya, Kundasale, Ampitiya from using the lake round, If you want to pass the lake round rd between 6-9am and 2-3 , 4-6pm you need at least 45- 60 mins its just a 2.5km rd though

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A Kandian Thursday, 20 February 2014 04:09 PM

I see there is lot of arguments over this project, yes definitely there will be hell a lot of corruptions and corrupted politicians will earn 50% of the money, but that is how it goes in this country from the beginning, from Victoria to Southern expressway all the government’s corrupted politicians took the money of hardly earned sri lankan citizens. This is a good move to reduce the heavy traffic between kandy city and Kundasale rd, Ampitiya rd. Its the most horrible traffic congestion I ever seen in SL. More than the baseline rd, Parliament rd and galle rd. Other thing is. It is not a black mark for Kandy cultural city because there are lot of europium, Chinese, Japanese ancient cities have sub way networks.

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sss Thursday, 20 February 2014 03:23 PM

completing the perimeter road of Victoria reservoir from Lewella to Tennekumura will help traffic congestion in Kandy a lot

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chulan Thursday, 20 February 2014 03:09 PM

What about moving the bus station from main town, if not only one tunnel even ten will not made much difference

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G.K Thursday, 20 February 2014 03:05 PM

Don't ever dream about these... It took 5+ years to build the new bridge in Katugasthota.. Work in Colombo Kandy highway has been a just a topic for few years.. Now they are talking a underground tunnel. General public don't even have a proper bus station in kandy....

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R.Dias Thursday, 20 February 2014 02:44 PM

1.widen 100 ft the road from peradeniya bridge ..Thaennekumbura bridge....make it one way
2. widen the New road from the Hopital passing Bogambara and connect to the Lake Road near Ways Park...make it one way
3. widen all the connecting roads to these..
These will not cost as much as a 3 km tunnel...

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water Thursday, 20 February 2014 08:06 PM

this was a long awaited plan to excavate all the treasures underneath.not the tunnel.thats the distraction via DM Android App

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blacky Thursday, 20 February 2014 08:00 PM

Great!....... via DM Android App

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Upali dayananda Thursday, 20 February 2014 12:21 PM

Tunnel may not be the solution. It's costly and time consuming.
Expand the Katukele bus station and limit public transport busses comming in to the town centre. Simultaniously construct bus station in Mahiyawa and limit the traffic from that direction. Re building Kandy central market with an underground car park will be extremly helpful.

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Rohan Thursday, 20 February 2014 07:55 PM

Don't waist Money.. Insted that wide KANDY-COlombo road in suitable (posible area where land could aqure without much damage to houses or buildings) area in every 5KM. Then Heavy vehicles can use left lane means time small vehicles can overtake them.. If u fallow this S Lanka can save Rs. millions of worth of fueal.. It take 4 1/2 to reach Kandy from Colombo.. Insted Tunnel make a Bridge infront of SWISS hotel (over the lake) to other side of lake for small vehicles.., We like Gov. but this is foolish thing.. few years later ok.. First think how much time u need to reach Kandy- Colombo.. via DM Android App

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jim pappa Thursday, 20 February 2014 02:23 PM

If the quality of the construction of the southern highway is anything to go by, I' d think twice before getting into that tunnel.

1 1

sl Thursday, 20 February 2014 02:20 PM

ban vehicle emitting clouds of smoke. they have ruined the cities beauty

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Hareesz Thursday, 20 February 2014 01:55 PM

Cannot the University Authorities think of the most simple solution - open the Maligawa Road

5 5

g Thursday, 20 February 2014 07:24 PM

Another way of grabbing more commission... via DM Android App

1 1

Hareesz Thursday, 20 February 2014 01:53 PM

Cannot the University Authorities think of the simple solution like opening the Maligawa Road.

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psy Thursday, 20 February 2014 07:17 PM

this is something kandy town needs. roads cannot be widened and only solution is under ground transport..!!! via DM Android App

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Punny Pellow Thursday, 20 February 2014 01:33 PM

Are there plans for a mass exodus? Hope the tunnel will not get flooded and the roof will not leak?

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kandy77 Thursday, 20 February 2014 06:47 PM

y cant thy just open the road near the maligawa. wudnt tht b cheaper and use tunnel funds for other projects. via DM Android App

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Ms.Sanka Wimaladharm Thursday, 20 February 2014 01:03 PM

What about the cultural aspects.Kandy is a world heritage city declared by UNESCo and it belongs not only to us but to the entire world today.

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commission kukka Thursday, 20 February 2014 06:09 PM

strategic commissions! wonder the feasibility report was done by the same who did the one for hambantota port??? via DM Android App

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sahan Thursday, 20 February 2014 06:01 PM

who the hell come up with these money wasting ideas :o via DM Android App

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shek Thursday, 20 February 2014 05:58 PM

this would be great via DM Android App

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