28 December 2009

Suduwella Community Water Supply Project declared open

Minister Hon Dinesh Gunawardena declares open the scheme. Minister of Housing Hon Geethanjana Gunawardena looks on

The Community Water Supply Scheme at Suduwella in Hanwella was declared open by the Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Dinesh Gunawardena on 24 December 2009. This project, which was implemented by the Community Water Supply Project and Sanitation Project of the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development with community participation, has cost Rs 30 million and provides for 128 families.

A primary target of the Government is to provide every citizen with clean potable water. This is being achieved through the Community Water Supply and Sanitation Project of the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development; which aims specifically to cater to the majority living in rural areas who face great problems obtaining drinking water and sanitary facilities.

Urban Development of Amparai inaugurated

Minister Dinesh Gunawardena approves the new Urban Development Plan for Amaparai. Also in the picture are Plan Implementation Minister P Dayaratne, Eastern Province Minister Wimalaweera Dissanaike, PC member TAK Thewarapperuma, Amparai UC Chairman Sarath Deshapriya, UC members, MEP Amparai organiser Sriyani Wijewickrema and WD Tissa Yapa of the UDA.
The Urban Development of Amparai, the capital of Digamadulla, which is being carried out by the Urban Development Authority of the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development, was inaugurated on 26 December 2009 under the patronage of Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

Also present on this occasion were Plan Implementation Minister P Dayaratne, Eastern Province Minister Wimalaweera Dissanaike, PC member TAK Thewarapperuma, Amparai UC Chairman Sarath Deshapriya, UC members, MEP Amparai organiser Sriyani Wijewickrema and WD Tissa Yapa of the UDA.
Minister Dinesh Gunawardena also opened the new premises for the Amparai weekly market (pola).
Minister Dinesh Gunawardena opens the new premises for the Amparai weekly market.

24 December 2009

Boralesgamuwa Urban Development

Minister Dinesh Gunawardena lighting the oil lamp at the commencement of the ceremony also in the picture are Ministers Bandula Gunawardena and Gamini Lokuge and Boralesgamuwa UC Chairman Aruna Priyashantha

Construction work on the proposed Boralesgamuwa Urban Council building commenced on 22.12.2009 with the patronage of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Dinesh Gunawardena. This is part of the Boralesgamuwa Urban Development Plan, which is being implemented by Urban Development Authority of the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development and the Boralesgamuwa Urban Council.

The new Urban Council building is expected to cost Rs 140 million and will be include Banks, a communication locality, a reception hall, a library, a health centre and an ayurveda centre. In addition, a commercial centre, a shopping complex, a housing scheme, a sports complex, a large car park and a children's and recreational playground will be constructed under the new Boralesgamuwa Urban Development Plan.

On this occasion, the Boralesgamuwa Urban Council was connected to the internet.

Prof . Ven. Bellanwila Wimalaratana Thero, Ministers AHM Fowzie, Bandula Gunawardena and Gamini Lokuge and the Chairman of the Boralesgamuwa Urban Council Aruna Priyashantha spoke on this occasion.

A large gathering, including Western Provincial Councillors Sunil Jayamini, Gamini Silva and Gamini Tilakasiri, Colombo District SLFP organiser Chandana Kathriyarachchi, as well as secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Dr P Ramanujam, Director General of the UDA Prasanna Silva and others graced this occasion.

04 December 2009

Vavuniya Urban Development Plan unveiled

Minister Dinesh Gunawardena signs the Vavuniya Urban Development Plan. Also in the picture are Ministry Secretary Dr P Ramanujam, Urban Development Minister Rohana Dissanayake and Vavuniya District Secretary Ms Charles.

The Vavuniya Urban Development Plan, which is to be implemented by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) of the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development, was revealed to the public at a ceremony held today (04 December 2009) at the Vavuniya District Secretary’s office under the patronage of Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development.

A sum of Rs 15,000 million is to be spent on the first stage of this plan, which is for an entire city complete with all necessary facilities. While the Mankulam area is to be developed as an administrative centre for the North, Vavuniya will remain a gateway to all the districts of the North.

Tamil National Alliance MP Shivanathan Kishore, Kishore Anandan, Urban Development Minister Rohana Dissanayake, Vavuniya District Secretary Ms Charles, Secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Dr P Ramanujam, Vanni District Organiser of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Premaratne Sumathipala, officials of the UDA and representatives of Non-Government Organisations also participated on this occasion.

25 November 2009

New homes in Dematagoda for displaced shanty dwellers of Slave Island

Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Dinesh Gunawardena inspecting the new multi-storey housing complex. Ministry Secretary Dr Prathap Ramanujam and UDA Co-ordinating Officer Ajith Kumara are also in the picture

Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Dinesh Gunawardena inspected the new multi-storey housing complex constructed in Dematagoda in Colombo City to provide homes for displaced shanty dwellers from the Slave Island area on 24.11.2009. Many of the shanty-dwellers who are prospective home-owners in the complex were also present.



Under the first stage of this housing project it is planned to provide housing for the shanty-dwellers who were displaced by the Slave Island and Beira Lake development plans, and who have obtained temporary accommodation in Thotalanga under the auspices of the Urban Development Authority of the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development.



The area of a dwelling constructed on the 3.6 hectare (9 acre) site in Dematagoda is to be 50 square metres (500 sq.ft). Each consists of two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom. A special programme to construct 1,000 dwellings has been inaugurated here by the Urban Development Authority. The construction of the 1,000 dwelling units is to take place in 3 stages, with 320 dwellings of the first stage being constructed at present, and are due to be handed over to the new owners in the near future.



A new technology is being utilised to construct the buildings in this project, and it is the first time that this technology has been used in the public sector. This technology, which is known as the MIVAN form work system, has been brought to this country from Malaysia.



The prospective home-owners expressed their gratitude to all those who worked to extract them from their unauthorised shanties and to provide them with these good permanent dwellings, for which they declared their liking.



Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, speaking on this occasion, said that the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development was able begin construction of this housing complex, which is another step towards making a reality the Mahinda Chintana goal of providing every family with a home. Thereby the people living in Thotalanga temporarily will be able to own permanent homes. We are now working to provide housing for the people according to a policy different from that of previous governments, according to which the opportunities for selling the new houses and going back to shanty dwellings will be minimised. It is the hope of the Government of President HE Mahinda Rajapaksa to provide new houses for the masses by completing this housing complex rapidly and to ensure a bright future for all the families.



Governor of the Western Province HE Alavi Moulana, Secretary of the Ministry Dr Prathap Ramanujam and UDA Co-ordinating Officer Ajith Kumara participated on this occasion.

23 November 2009

Acceleration of the Rs 350 million Independence Square Development Project

Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Dinesh Gunawardena inspecting the Independence Square Development Project area. Also in the picture are Dr Prathap Ramanujam, Secretary to the Ministry, Prasanna Silva, Director General of the Urban Development Authority and other officers.

The first and second stages have been completed of the Independence Square Development Project, which is being implemented by the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development. The expenditure Rs 90 million on so far has resulted in the construction of a new pedestrian footpath between the Independence Square building and the Planetarium and the reconstruction and development of the surrounding area.

This project is being carried out by the Urban Development Authority with the aim of enhancing the stature and protecting the nobility of the Independence Square building and establishing a green zone, comprised of trees and foliage surrounding it.

The Independence Square Development Project, which is planned to be carried out over 12 stages, is anticipated to cost a total of Rs 350 million. Consequently work has been accelerated on the third and fourth stages of this project, which are a proposed Cultural Avenue from Bauddhaloka Mawatha to the Independence Square Development area and work in connection with the Ceremonial Entrance to the Independence Square.

The Independence Square Development Project, the area of which is bounded by Gregory’s Road, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Maitland Crescent, Wijerama Mawatha and Prof Stanley Wijesundera Mawatha, has been identified as an accelerated development area.

13 November 2009

Henry Jayasena inspired a new generation through his dramatic capability

We express our heartfelt condolences on the passing away of the great, award-winning artiste Mr Henry Jayasena.

He was not only adroit on the stage, on film and on television, bringing the literature of the world to the Sri Lanka stage and thereby establishing a modern dramatic style, but he was adept as a writer as well.

He gained the respect of Sri Lankan audiences through his proficiency in the dramatic arts and was able to write prose fluently in both the Sinhala and English languages.

He inspired a new generation through his active contribution to popular culture through the media of the stage, cinema, television and books.

We express our condolences to his relatives and friends and all those grieving at his demise.
We wish the late Henry Jayasena the bliss of Nirvana.

Dinesh Gunawardena
Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development.
Chief Government Whip of Parliament
Leader of the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna.

12 November 2009

World Town Planning Day Commemorated

Minister Dinesh Gunawardena presents an award. Also in the picture are Dr Prathap Ramanujam, Prof. Trevor Budge and Mr Prasanna Silva

A special programme to commemorate World Town Planning day, presided over by Mr Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development, was held in the Urban Development Authority auditorium at Sethsiripaya, Battaramulla on 9 November 2009.

This was the 60th World Town Planning Day, which was commemorated around various themes in different countries. In this country the principle theme was ‘Planning for the Community’.

This programme was organised jointly by the Urban Development Authority, the National Physical Planning Department and the Institute of Town Planners, Sri Lanka.

Speaking on this occasion, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that Sri Lanka has had a tradition of successful town planning from the days of King Pandukabhaya. Even today, Anuradhapura shocks international town planners by the excellence of its layout.

Today, participatory planning was necessary in order ensure that city plans should be effective in dealing with the needs of the population. There have been occasions in the past in which new urban plans have been made which were ineffective, and which failed to promote growth.

He paid tribute to the Institute of Town Planners, whose efforts were at the heart of the recovery from the Tsunami. Unfortunately, there has been a delay in implementing the Tsunami recovery plan for the North, due to the recent conflict. Now that the terrorists have been defeated, the internally displaced population could return to their homes once the mines were cleared up. The efforts of the town planners will thus be vital in the near future, as the planning for the development of the northern cities gets under way.

The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Trevor Budge of La Trobe University, Australia, who discussed the Australian experience of community consultation in town planning. He said that consulting the community was a relatively new idea not ingrained in tradition. It was introduced to Australia about 30 years ago, and is now accepted as something that is necessary.

He emphasised that the process should be transparent and the participants should be clear as to the aims – the ability to alter plans as a result of the consultation was vital. It was also essential that a system should be in place to manage the process, with the administrative machinery and resources to handle the large amounts of information that were generated through this course of action.

Dr Prathap Ramanujam, Secretary to the Ministry of Urban development and Sacred Area Development, Mr Prasanna Silva, Director General of the Urban Development Authority, Mr Lakshman Jayasekera, Director General of the National Physical Planning Department and Plnr L D Dickman, President of the Institute of Town Planners, Sri Lanka also addressed the gathering.

11 November 2009

Hon Dinesh Gunewardena addresses Federation of Madhya Pradesh Chambers of Commerce & Industry

The recent defeat of terrorism has opened the way forward towards rapid economic development and has created the opportunity for fruitful co-operation between Madhya Pradesh and Sri Lanka. So said Hon Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Urban Development and Sacred area Development, addressing a seminar organised by the Federation of MP Chambers of Commerce & Industry at the Noor-Us-Sabha Palace Hotel in Bhopal on 31 October.

The Minister described the wealth of opportunities available for Madhya Pradesh firms to join in Sri Lanka’s growth. Pointing out that the vihara at Sanchi, near Bhopal represented a symbol of Indo-Lanka co-operation, both in the past and at present, he appealed to the captains of industry of Madhya Pradesh to consider collaborative enterprises with Sri Lanka.

Madhya Pradesh has no coastal belt, so Sri Lanka would provide an ideal place to make a trade link and tourist link with. Sri Lanka was already co-operating in developing the sacred site at Sanchi, and further common partnership was possible.

Mr Pratap Verma, Secretary, Federation of MP Chambers of Commerce & Industry made a presentation on socio-economic co-operation between Sri Lanka and India with special focus on Madhya Pradesh. He pointed out that while Madhya Pradesh was five times larger in area than Sri Lanka and had had three times the population, Sri Lanka’s per capita income was almost four times higher. He detailed several areas for potential collaboration and requested that Colombo and Bhopal be linked as twin cities and that daily flights be established between the two cities.

Dr Meera Dass, convener of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage made a presentation on the integrated development plan of the heritage city of Ujjain. She expressed pleasure that the Hon Dinesh Gunawardena included in his portfolio both Urban Development and Sacred Area Development since, especially on the sub-continent, both needed to be dealt with together. She illustrated how the concept of heritage-based development was being carried out in the Mahakal Virasat Kshetra in Ujjain - ancient Avanti or Udeni of the Jatakas.

There was a lively feedback from the audience of entrepreneurs and heads of industry, who expressed their willingness to further the co-operation between Madhya Pradesh and Sri Lanka.

Prime Minister opens pilgrims’ rest in Sanchi


The Sanchi Vandana Niketana in the Sanchi Sacred Area in Bhopal, India, was opened by the Prime Minister, Hon Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, on the invitation of Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development, on 31st October 2009.

This three-storey pilgrims’ rest was constructed at a cost of Rs 84 million by the National Physical Planning Department of the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development. The Emperor Asoka, who gifted the Buddha Dhamma to the people of Sri Lanka, laid the foundation for this endowment in the Caityagiri sacred area in Sanchi, in the region of Avanti, one of the 16 Janapadas (settlements) of ancient India. It was from Sanchi that his son, the Ven Mahinda thero, was able to bring pure Buddhism to Sri Lanka.

Pilgrims face various hardships when visiting Sanchi, an underdeveloped area in Bhopal in the modern state of Madhya Pradesh. Its biggest drawback has been the lack of a pilgrims rest or lodging facilities for pilgrims coming to this spot, far from the traditional pilgrimage route to Dambadiva. The plans for a pilgrims’ rest in Sanchi were made three years ago by the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development on the directions of Hon Dinesh Gunawardena Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development, under the guidance of President HE Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The Vandana Niketana established in Sanchi by the National Physical Planning Department of the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development is a three-storeyed pilgrims’ rest containing an image house, sermon rooms, bedrooms for pilgrims, open living rooms, bathrooms, a kitchen and sanitary facilities.

The Indian Government, the Government of Madhya Pradesh, the Public Works Department of Madhya Pradesh, the Mahabodhi Society of Sri Lanka which gifted the Land and the Chief Incumbent of Sanchi Ven Banagala Upatissa thero all collaborated in this effort.

The Chief Incumbent of Sanchi Ven Banagala Upatissa thero, representatives of the Indian people led by the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Hon. Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Mrs Sumedha Jayasena, Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Development, Dr Prathap Ramanujam, Secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development and many clergy and laity from Sri Lanka and overseas participated on this occasion.

09 November 2009

Hon Dinesh Gunewardena addresses Indian Merchants’ Chamber

Shri Suresh Prabhu, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Mr Gul Kripalani and Minister Sumedha Jayasena

Now that terrorism had been defeated in Sri Lanka, the country is poised for rapid development under the sound economic policies of HE President Mahinda Rajapaksa. So said Hon Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Urban Development and Sacred area Development, addressing potential investors at the Indian Merchants’ Chamber in Mumbai on 30 October.

Clarifying Sri Lanka’s foreign investor-friendly policies at an interactive seminar organised by the Chamber, the Minister detailed the opportunities available for Indian firms, in particular to join in Sri Lanka’s growth. He pointed out that the expected expansion of the country’s economy presented openings in infrastructure development, particularly in transport, telecommunications and urban development, especially for private-public partnerships. The North and East of the island, devastated after three decades of terrorism, required building up from scratch.

The Indian Merchants’ Chamber covers under its aegis companies and organisations involved in trade, commerce and industry in India. It has over 3,000 direct members and over 200 affiliated associations which encompass over 250,000 business concerns. The Chamber, which was set up in 1907, counts Mahatma Gandhi among its illustrious past members. It is also the first chamber in India to obtain ISO 9001:2000 accreditation.

Following an intense exchange of ideas, one of the participants indicated his willingness, after hearing the Minister’s elucidation of the economic climate, to invest in Sri Lanka immediately.

Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, former Indian Minister of Industry, of Environment and Forests, of Fertilisers & Chemicals and of Power, Heavy Industry & Public Enterprises, also expressed his views on the challenges and opportunities facing Indian investors in Sri Lanka and Mrs Sumedha Jayasena, Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Development also spoke. Shri Gul Kripalani, President of the Chamber, gave the vote of thanks.

Minister Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena meets Shri Satya Narayan Goenka

Hon Dinesh Gunawardena is seen here with Shri SN Goenka and Smt. Ilaichidevi Goenka. Hon Sumedha Jayasena is on the extreme right.

Hon Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development, paid his respects to the leading teacher of Vipassana Meditation, Shri Satya Narayan Goenka on 30 October 2009 in Mumbai.

Shri Goenka, who was born in Mandalay in Myanmar in 1924, studied Vipassana Meditation under the renowned Burmese meditation teacher U Ba Khin. Later he opened the Dhammagiri Meditation Centre at Igatpuri, in the Western Ghats Mountains in Maharashtra, India. He has trained over 700 teachers and now has a network of Vipassana Meditation Centres all over the world. More than 100,000 people attend Vipassana Meditation courses under his network every year.

Shri Goenka is a writer and poet who has published works in English, Hindi and Rajasthani. He has lectured to audiences around the world, notably to the World Economic Forum at Davos in Switzerland at the Millenium World Peace Summit of the United Nations, both in 2000.

In conversation with Hon Dinesh Gunawardena, Shri Goenka revealed that government officials, police officers and even prisoners were being given meditation courses in India. He emphasized that the students of Vipassana were not being converted from one religion to another, but were being shown a portal to escape from misery. He explained that even prisoners convicted of murder were able to obtain inner peace through meditation.

Hon Dinesh Gunawardena reminded Shri Goenka that there were already two Vipassana Meditation Centres in Sri Lanka, including one in his own home village of Kosgama. He invited Shri Goenka to open another centre in the north of the country, to help the citizens of the country who were traumatised by the recent conflict to find inner harmony.

Shri Goenka invoked blessings on the President and people of Sri Lanka.

Women’s Empowerment and Child Development Minister Hon Sumedha G Jayasena also participated on this occasion.