🇱🇰 Central Hills Policy Debate: Avoiding Past Mistakes & Embracing Sustainable Planning ⛰️

The Sri Lankan government is facing critical decisions regarding development in the central hills, with proposals sparking debate: • Proposed Policies: • President aims to halt new construction above 5,000 feet elevation and relocate residents. • A Minister suggested moving Kandy city entirely to Ampara or Polonnaruwa. • Critics argue these ideas lack scientific basis and could lead to arbitrary decisions, similar to post-tsunami construction bans that affected homeowners. • National Physical Policy and Plan 2050 (NPPP 2050): • This plan, approved in 2019 after extensive consultation, designates a "central environmental fragile area" spanning Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Kegalla, and parts of other districts. • It advocates for strictly regulated physical development and attracting youth to identified economic zones, particularly the Colombo-Trincomalee corridor. • The government is urged to follow NPPP 2050 as an evidence-based roadmap. • Expressway Concerns: • The National Physical Planning Department objects to new expressways through fragile terrain. • Ruwanpura Expressway (allocated Rs. 1,500 Mn in 2026 Budget) and Central Expressway Phase III (Pothuhera-Galagedara) (Rs. 10,500 Mn) are cited. • Building expressways contradicts the goal of discouraging population growth in these areas. Funds could be reallocated to repair damaged existing roads. • Upcountry Railway Investment: • The upcountry line suffered significant cyclone/landslide damage, is costly to maintain, and does not meet international safety standards (speeds as low as 15 kmph). • The 2026 Budget allocates Rs. 35.5 Bn for railway capital expenditure, with only Rs. 100 Mn for the Kandy-Kadugannawa line. • Suggestion: Instead of public funds for upgrades that increase losses, develop the upcountry line as a public-private partnership for luxury train tourism, leveraging its scenic route for economic value with minimal environmental harm.