Port City Colombo opens online to the world

An Open Day event was launched on July 30 to give the public a chance to tour Port City Colombo in Sri Lanka.

Dubbed "the City of the Future", the project has won attention from all over the world.

At the event, Indeewari Amuwatte, a well-known Sri Lankan hostess, acted as the guide to usher people into "the City of the Future" that lies by the Indian Ocean and to show the construction and development of the project from various angles.

During the live broadcast, Amuwatte explained and demonstrated the COVID-19 pandemic prevention measures at the construction site.

According to local employees, there are now 530 workers in the project following the government's pandemic prevention regulations with strict compliance. They have been on the job since the Sri Lankan government approved the resumption of work in early May.

A "mobile cabin" buffer zone has been specially built to quarantine local employees returning to work. They are also provided with two free nucleic acid tests. So far, there is no COVID-19 infection at the project.

Amuwatte then visited the construction areas including the marina, pipe tunnel, artificial canal, public beach, and the vehicle bridge, explaining the construction progress and future plans of each area.

Land reclamation of 269 hectares has been completed and the entire port city, which integrates commercial, residential, leisure and entertainment functions, is expected to cover more than 5.7 million square meters, with more than 200,000 people working and living there.

After completion, the area will evolve into the new CBD of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka.

In the Port City Colombo sales gallery, Amuwatte interviewed Kassapa, who is in charge of public relations of the project and provided insight into the significance of the project to the local economic and social development of Sri Lanka.

According to Kassapa, $1.4 billion was invested in the project's first phase and more than $13 billion was raised for secondary development.

The largest foreign direct investment project in the country ever, the Port City Colombo project will create more than 83,000 jobs for people in affected areas.

The Sri Lankan government intends to build the Port City into an economic hub and commercial center, making the area an engine that drives the country's economic and social development. An international financial center is planned for implementation of various preferential policies to attract foreign investment.

The project is a large-scale urban development project invested, constructed and operated by China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. (CHEC), a subsidiary of China Communications Construction Company Limited.

An outcome of Sri Lanka's Vision 2030, Port City Colombo was selected as one of the "Five New Cities to Shake Up the Future" by Forbes magazine in 2018.

During the construction, which started in 2014, the company fulfilled its social responsibilities by organizing several public service activities such as the "Fishermen's Livelihood Improvement Program", the "Ran Bhumi Rally for Unity" campaign and "the Colombo Beautiful Beach Project", which won a good local reputation.

The company was also devoted to cultural exchanges between China and Sri Lanka.

Chandima, the executive director of Nagananda International Buddhist University, said that CHEC helped translate the traditional Chinese cultural classic Di Zi Gui - the Rules for Students - as well as other vivid stories, into Sinhala.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, the company also provided medical supplies throughout the country.