he ancient capital of Sri Lanka, the city of Polonnaruwa, the seat of great kings, will awaken to ancient glory once again with the completion of as many as 170 projects under the President Maithripala Sirisena’s flagship, Pibidena Polonnaruwa on 1st, 2nd and 3rd of August this year.

Pibidena Polonnaruwa (Awakening of Polonnaruwa) District Development Project commenced on October 17, 2017.

The President, symbolizing the commencement of the project laid the foundation stone for a new classroom building at Aralaganvila, Vilayaya Madhya Maha Vidyalaya.

Under this ambitious development project, all sectors in Polonnaruwa including roads, electricity, agriculture, education, health and environment will be developed comprehensively.

“When some areas in Sri Lanka were marching towards a rapid transformation during the last decade, I was lamenting as the representative of the people of Polonnaruwa due to the inability to make the relevant transformation for Polonnaruwa,” President Sirisena declared.

“Polonnaruwa will be taken to a rapid development through Pibidena Polonnaruwa, giving the benefits of the development to the people in this district.”

Polonnaruwa, the second capital of ancient Lanka after Anuradhapura, is a World Heritage Site and forms part of the UNESCO-sponsored Cultural Triangle.

When the first capital Anuradhapura faced continuous invasions from Tamil kings across Palk Straits, in the seventh century, the city was abandoned and the capital transferred to Polonnaruwa or Pulastyanagara, the site probably of a prehistoric city named after Pulastya, the grandfather of Ravana, according to Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam.

King Vijayabahu I recaptured Polonnaruwa in 1055 and ruled until 1110. The most respected monarch who ruled the island from Polonnaruwa, however, was King Parakramabahu I or Prakramabahu the Great who ruled from 1153 to 1186 and is acclaimed by historians as the greatest of Sinhalese Kings.
Parakrama Samudra – the sea of Parakrama – remains a lasting monument to his memory. 

Covering 2,400 hectares, this giant reservoir is the largest created during the medieval period. It has an embankment 12km in length. It is said that blocks of stone weighing 10 tons each were used in its construction.

The Polonnaruwa kingdom did not last long ending with Magha (1215-36). Threatened invasions from South India forced the kings to abandon Polonnaruwa and move to Dambadeniya.

After several centuries, Polonnaruwa is reawakening today under the development programme, Pibidena Polonnaruwa. President Maithripala Sirisena stated that the government has started the programme to uplift all people. More than 170 projects have been implemented under this programme and will be vested with the people during the first three days of next month. The Kalu Ganga Moragahakanda Project that was constructed at a cost of Rs. 2,300 million is almost three times the entire cost of the previous projects of the accelerated Mahaweli Multi-purpose Project. Water from both, the Moragahakanda and Kalu Ganga reservoirs will be primarily used to support agricultural needs to an area of at least 81,422 hectares. Water from the Moragahakanda Reservoir generates 25-megawatt power at the Moragahakanda Hydroelectric Power Station. The National Nephrology Hospital built at a cost of Rs. 1.2 billion, is a gift from China and the construction works commenced two weeks ago. The project is expected to complete within 24 months. The new Agricultural Economic Centre is being built at a cost of Rs. 50.2 million under the assistance of the Chinese Government.

A high technology museum in the country is being constructed in Polonnaruwa. 18 classroom buildings are being constructed at the Al-Ameen Muslim College, Senapura with the assistance of the security forces.

170 Development Projects in Polonnaruwa District to be declared open during 1 – 3 August 2018

A total of Rs. 60 billion in investments in the development of infrastructure and livelihoods.

Over 100 projects for schools and education institutes including

• Technical College Complex
   
• State-of-the-art conference hall facilities for all National Schools
   
• laboratories, libraries, cultural centres, conference halls, teachers’ quarters, offices of the Principals
   
• Bhikkhu Hostels, Pirivena buildings, Dhamma School buildings.
   
• Renovated Polonnaruwa General Hospital with state-of-the-art facilities
   
• The new Court Complex
   
• Four-lane roads
   
• National Nephrology Hospital in Polonnaruwa gifted by China is the largest kidney hospital in South Asia (expected to complete within 24 months)
   
• Agricultural Economic Centre would be built at a cost of Rs. 50 million
   
• Trilingual Learning Centre
   
• Religious places of all religions
   
• Drinking Water Projects
   
• Housing projects