Following discussions at the Colombo District Development Committee meeting held last Tuesday (15), Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has instructed officials to prepare a public parking plan to address severe traffic congestion in the Nugegoda area.
The meeting focused on the lack of adequate parking facilities in Nugegoda town, vehicles stopping along roads while dropping off and picking up students, and the impact of private tuition classes operating in residential areas.
Particular attention was given to the need to close three lanes of a main road due to vehicles bringing students to Lyceum International School in central Nugegoda.
During the discussion, an official pointed out that although roads are intended primarily for vehicular movement, they are increasingly being used for parking and commercial activities. The official proposed constructing multi-storey parking complexes with 10 to 12 floors in busy areas to reduce congestion.
In response, Prime Minister Amarasuriya asked whether a public parking plan could be prepared to address the issue.
The meeting also discussed concerns over increased congestion caused by large numbers of students and vehicles gathering on narrow residential roads in Nugegoda due to private tuition classes. It was proposed that the availability of adequate parking facilities should be considered when granting approval for such educational institutions.
Similar parking-related problems were also reported around Colombo Royal College and Ladies’ College.
However, no final decision has yet been announced regarding the construction of new parking complexes.
