Sri Lanka’s Megapolis and Western Development Minister, Champika Ranawaka told reporters that his Ministry had signed a contract with China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Company in order to construct the ‘New Muttuwal and Torrington Tunnels’

The New Muttuwal Tunnel, which will be 760 meters in length, 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 Torrington Tunnel will be 1.1 kilometers and will also lead the rains waters successfully 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 important,” Minister Ranawaka said.

The Minister further explained that many of the underground pipelines in Sri Lanka were built during 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 lead out the rain waters, Ranawaka added.

Those families who will be affected by the underground tunnel will be compensated or shifted to other areas.

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 US dollars.

General Manager of China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Company (CPPE), Dong Xu said that CPPE presently operated in 46 countries and the New Muttuwal and Torrington Tunnel was the first project it had signed in Sri Lanka.