Railways

[Rajasinha]

Originally Posted by MarbleBeach

I thought the Colombo-Jaffna expressway runs through Kandy and some major towns like Kurunegala?!

That's correct.

[Rajasinha]

Originally Posted by Cosmicbliss

Do you feel the MR goverment has done a lot of reconstruction? What does metro expressway mean?

Expressways within Colombo.
http://www.news.lk/news/sri-lanka/12...fic-congestion

These would be MUCH MUCH more economical.

[Cosmicbliss]

Originally Posted by Rajasinha

Colombo jaffna is not cost effective as yet, Jaffna is too small of a city. There are much bigger cities which need expressway connection to Colombo, Such as Kandy, before a line to jaffna is built.

Also there is much need for metro expressways, much more than a link to jaffna. Government needs to prioritize metro expressways in Colombo.

I wouldn't look at it purely in terms of profit and loss. A north south expressway in SL would open up the northern province for rapid development. It is an investment for the future. Look at it like the seoul busan expressway in South Korea. It proved to be a huge boost to the economy, even though it was built, it was viewed as a folly. Many people may use the Colombo Jaffna road to go to towns on the way. Morever, given that people in that region have complained that there is a lack of development, this may go a long way towards assuaging those problems.

[mrpanini]

Originally Posted by Cosmicbliss

Do you feel the MR goverment has done a lot of reconstruction?

My observation during visits to SL is that there has been more development and construction/reconstruction during the last five years than in the previous ten or 15 or 20 years.

[Rajasinha]

Originally Posted by Cosmicbliss

I wouldn't look at it purely in terms of profit and loss. A north south expressway in SL would open up the northern province for rapid development. It is an investment for the future. Look at it like the seoul busan expressway in South Korea. It proved to be a huge boost to the economy, even though it was built, it was viewed as a folly. Many people may use the Colombo Jaffna road to go to towns on the way. Morever, given that people in that region have complained that there is a lack of development, this may go a long way towards assuaging those problems.

Those many people are not using cars, their mode of transport is unlikely to be used on an expressway.

Paying people to dig holes in the ground with a shovel boots the economy, but as soon as the holes a dug any economic benefit is lost.

Just because people complain 'a lack of development' is in no way a reason to start investing and building an expressway. If people complained they don't have money, would give them money? Things have to be done in a win-win deal, Colombo-jaffna is not economically responsible thing to do at this stage in time. Perhaps MUCH later, after development in jaffna takes place, this project would be economically feasible.

Right now priority has to be given to metro expressways, and Colombo -Kandy expressway. Kandy is the second largest economic center in Sri lanka.

EDIT: Also this the Railways thread, this discussion should be moved to Roadways.

[erathal]

Originally Posted by Rajasinha

Those many people are not using cars, their mode of transport is unlikely to be used on an expressway.

Paying people to dig holes in the ground with a shovel boots the economy, but as soon as the holes a dug any economic benefit is lost.

Just because people complain 'a lack of development' is in no way a reason to start investing and building an expressway. If people complained they don't have money, would give them money? Things have to be done in a win-win deal, Colombo-jaffna is not economically responsible thing to do at this stage in time. Perhaps MUCH later, after development in jaffna takes place, this project would be economically feasible.

Right now priority has to be given to metro expressways, and Colombo -Kandy expressway. Kandy is the second largest economic center in Sri lanka.

EDIT: Also this the Railways thread, this discussion should be moved to Roadways.

Technically, it is wrong to analyze just the cost and the earn out of a project isolately. For example, only from Kottawa to Galle section of the Southern Expressway cost around staggerring Rs.77billion and the last years revenue is only Rs.1billion. So where is the break-even? 77 years to the future?? Ouuch...!

Ok, lets assume it becomes more profitable later and 77billon is covered in 50 years. But before then, the road will definetely have to be widened to 3 lanes with another huge investment to cater the traffic volume. And what about the maintanance,loan interests and inflation?!

So in this perspective, break-even is highly unlikely. However, the government plans to increase the countrie's GDP per capita to $4000 by 2016 and Southern expressway is a one step in achieving that goal for the southern province.

This scenario is common for other countries as well. For instance, take the Chinese Shanghai Maglev train. Economists have predicted that this collosal project would not break-even ever. Brit-France Channel tunnel took almost 15 years to make profit even after several fare hikes made just to sustain it.

Although I accept the fact that contructing roads will not immediately fill up the pockets of locals and would take much longer for the benifits to flow down the grass-root level. However, it is right to start now as we are obviously lagging behind 30 years compared to other rising asian countries.

[Rajasinha]

Originally Posted by erathal

Technically, it is wrong to analyze just the cost and the earn out of a project isolately. For example, only from Kottawa to Galle section of the Southern Expressway cost around staggerring Rs.77billion and the last years revenue is only Rs.1billion. So where is the break-even? 77 years to the future?? Ouuch...!

Ok, lets assume it becomes more profitable later and 77billon is covered in 50 years. But before then, the road will definetely have to be widened to 3 lanes with another huge investment to cater the traffic volume. And what about the maintanance,loan interests and inflation?!

So in this perspective, break-even is highly unlikely. However, the government plans to increase the countrie's GDP per capita to $4000 by 2016 and Southern expressway is a one step in achieving that goal for the southern province.

This scenario is common for other countries as well. For instance, take the Chinese Shanghai Maglev train. Economists have predicted that this collosal project would not break-even ever. Brit-France Channel tunnel took almost 15 years to make profit even after several fare hikes made just to sustain it.

Although I accept the fact that contructing roads will not immediately fill up the pockets of locals and would take much longer for the benifits to flow down the grass-root level. However, it is right to start now as we are obviously lagging behind 30 years compared to other rising asian countries.

Cant seem to find the white paper, but Engineers predicated E01 would breakeven by 2030. There was a whole heap of variables that went into that.

You might to take a look at this also, I haven't read it. But it looks like it has a lot of good information in it.
http://pipeline.mgxls.com/resources/...t-May-2011.pdf

I'm not saying DON'T built roads, I'm saying build them in a economically responsible way. Right now priority is, metro expressways.

[aravindasing]

Construction expedited on the new railway line from Kurunegala to Habarana in Sri Lanka

June 18, Colombo: Sri Lanka Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa has ordered the officials to accelerate the preparatory work to build the railway line from Kurunegala to Habarana.

The proposed 81-km railway line will run across the commercial towns of Dambulla and Sigiriya in the North Central Province. Both places are tourist hot spots too where world heritage sites are situated.

According to Sri Lanka Railways, a track with a design speed of 120km/h will be constructed and the feasibility study has been completed. The project envisages the feasibility of the proposed railway trace in terms of engineering, economy, environmental and social aspects.

The Minister at a meeting in the Ibbagamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha instructed the officials to accelerate the development plans.

The Minister urged the officials to complete the surveys regarding the railway line by September this year and finish at least half of the constructions by the end of the year.

The railway line is expected to bypass the present diversion of the Eastern railway to Trincomalee and Batticaloa at Maho junction and cut short the journey.

http://www.colombopage.com/archive_1...71527624KA.php

[ak892]

Mega metro monorail project for Colombo


Details Published on Tuesday, 18 June 2013 13:44 Hits: 95

Sri Lanka is to introduce a mega Metro Monorail Project to address the ever increasing traffic congestion in the Pettah and Colombo Fort area. Plans are being drawn up to introduce this mega project that will give a new face lift to the Colombo city.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Transport Dhammika Perera addressing a media conference in Colombo this morning said that there are six main bus routes and four main railway lines that facilitate incoming and outgoing passengers from Colombo. The main bus routes bringing passengers to Colombo are from Moratuwa, Kesbewa, Homagama, Kaduwela, Horana, Gampaha and Negombo. He said that by establishing the monorail link all these ten routes can be linked to four main corridors.

Mr. Perera said that 25 kilometer monorail network will be built on 1,2 meter by 1 meter poles across the Fort/Pettah area. He said that there are 450 shops in the area at present and they will be provided shop stalls in the basement of the proposed Metro Monorail Project.

The project proposal made by a Japanese company is currently being reviewed by the Moratuwa University, Urban Development Authority, Road Development Authority and the Environmental Authority. Mr. Perera said that there will be 10 car parks under the project, and an extension to the Fort Railway Station will also be made by preserving the Stations archaeological values. He said that the time taken by passengers to travel between various bus stands to the railway station and vice versa at present will be eliminated upon implementation of the project.

Explaining further the Ministry Secretary said that it is envisaged to start the project in April or May next year to complete it within 28 months. (niz)

http://www.news.lk/news/sri-lanka/55...ct-for-colombo

[saraprobe]

Originally Posted by ak892

Mega metro monorail project for Colombo


Details Published on Tuesday, 18 June 2013 13:44 Hits: 95

Sri Lanka is to introduce a mega Metro Monorail Project to address the ever increasing traffic congestion in the Pettah and Colombo Fort area. Plans are being drawn up to introduce this mega project that will give a new face lift to the Colombo city.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Transport Dhammika Perera addressing a media conference in Colombo this morning said that there are six main bus routes and four main railway lines that facilitate incoming and outgoing passengers from Colombo. The main bus routes bringing passengers to Colombo are from Moratuwa, Kesbewa, Homagama, Kaduwela, Horana, Gampaha and Negombo. He said that by establishing the monorail link all these ten routes can be linked to four main corridors.

Mr. Perera said that 25 kilometer monorail network will be built on 1,2 meter by 1 meter poles across the Fort/Pettah area. He said that there are 450 shops in the area at present and they will be provided shop stalls in the basement of the proposed Metro Monorail Project.

The project proposal made by a Japanese company is currently being reviewed by the Moratuwa University, Urban Development Authority, Road Development Authority and the Environmental Authority. Mr. Perera said that there will be 10 car parks under the project, and an extension to the Fort Railway Station will also be made by preserving the Stations archaeological values. He said that the time taken by passengers to travel between various bus stands to the railway station and vice versa at present will be eliminated upon implementation of the project.

Explaining further the Ministry Secretary said that it is envisaged to start the project in April or May next year to complete it within 28 months. (niz)

http://www.news.lk/news/sri-lanka/55...ct-for-colombo

I just saw this, what the heck? many plans but nothing materialized