By: Staff Writer
April 28, Colombo (LNW): In a bold step towards easing urban congestion and boosting eco-friendly tourism, the Sri Lankan Cabinet has approved a feasibility study for a national water-based transport and tourism network. The move aims to unlock the country’s vast potential of rivers, canals, and coastal waterways, transforming them into lively corridors for passenger travel and leisure.
Announcing the decision, Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa revealed that the plan will evaluate the possibility of launching boat services connecting major cities while enhancing tourism along Sri Lanka’s scenic inland and coastal routes.
“The feasibility study will assess the economic, environmental, and logistical aspects of the project,” Dr. Jayatissa stated during the weekly Cabinet briefing. Based on the study’s outcome, the project is expected to move forward as a public-private partnership (PPP), attracting local and foreign investment into water transport and tourism infrastructure.
Proposed key coastal routes include Puttalam to Colombo Fort, Fort to Galle, and Galle to Matara—offering commuters an alternative to heavily congested roads while providing tourists with picturesque travel experiences. Inland water bodies such as Hamilton Ela, Bere Wewa, Diyawanna Oya, and Madu Ganga—famous for their ecological and scenic value—will also be developed as part of the initiative.
The proposal, submitted by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism Vijitha Herath, comes at a time when traffic congestion, particularly in the Western Province, has become a severe issue. Average vehicle speeds in urban areas often fall below 10 km/h during peak hours, causing significant loss of time and money for commuters, while also contributing heavily to environmental pollution.
Previous efforts to address traffic woes through road and rail improvements have yielded limited success. Experts argue that the current transport system cannot sustainably handle increasing congestion levels. Introducing a water transportation system is seen as an environmentally friendly, cost-effective, fuel-efficient, and safer alternative—already proven successful in parts of Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
Sri Lanka’s historical network of waterways further strengthens the case for this shift. The Portuguese initially built canals around Colombo for freight, linking areas like Hendala and Bolgoda Lake. The Dutch later expanded the canal system, with the famous Colombo-Puttalam waterway, a 102-mile stretch completed in 1900, serving as a major transport route. During the British era, waterways facilitated the movement of tea, coffee, rubber, and graphite across the island.
Efforts to revive inland water transport are not new. Under the Megapolis development project, plans were drawn to establish three major lines in the Western Province: Wellawatta–Battaramulla, Fort–Union Place, and Mattakkuliya–Hanwella, using rivers, canals, and marshes. Traffic demand modelling through STRADA identified optimal locations for jetties, with boats designed to travel at an average speed of 18 km/h.
Building on recent successes like the Sri Lanka Navy-operated boat service for Open University students and staff along the Kirulupone Canal, the new national plan promises to reimagine water transport in Sri Lanka, offering a practical, scenic, and sustainable alternative for both commuters and tourists alike.
