Chinese company to construct underground pipes to prevent floods in Colombo

COLOMBO - Sri Lanka and China signed a contract on Wednesday to construct new underwater sewage and pipelines in Colombo to prevent the threat of floods.

Sri Lanka's Megapolis and Western Development Minister Champika Ranawaka told reporters that his ministry had signed a contract with the China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering (CPPE) company to construct the New Muttuwal and Torrington Tunnels.

The 760-meter New Muttuwal Tunnel will lead through some of the most populated areas in Colombo, which are at a heavy risk of floods, and will successfully lead the rain waters into the sea.

The 1.1-kilometers Torrington Tunnel will also lead the rain waters into the ocean, preventing future flooding.

"It is very important that these two underground tunnels are constructed as Colombo has been facing devastating floods in the recent years. The government has also launched a beautification program for Colombo city, and for that to succeed, constructing these tunnels will be of utmost importance," Ranawaka said.

The minister explained that many of the underground pipelines in Sri Lanka were built under the British rule and were over 150 years old. With the annual monsoonal rains, and with a threat of major rivers overflowing, Colombo had no proper tunnels in place to drain out the rain waters, Ranawaka added.

The New Muttuwal and Torrington Tunnel projects are part of the Colombo Development Project which is funded by the World Bank.

The cost of the project is estimated at $31 million.

General Manager of CPPE Xu Dong said the Chinese company presently operated in 46 countries and the New Muttuwal and Torrington Tunnels were the first project it signed in Sri Lanka.

The tunnels are expected to be completed by 2020.