Feasibility of Reviving Water Transportation in the Metropolitan Region (CMR)

G.L. Dimantha De Silva, University of Calgary, Canada

Amal S. Kumarage Professor, University of

252525 ththth October 2003 CIT Annual SessionSession----Colombo Other Other

Recreational Recreational

Environmental Environmental

Feasibility) Feasibility) ( ((

Inland Waterways InlandWaterways Inland

PublicTransport PublicTransport TechnicalTechnical Other

WaterTransportationWaterTransportation

Coastal ShippingCoastalShippingCoastal Economic Economic

FreightFreight Study Area Northern CMR •Colombo-Puttalam Canal &

Central CMR •Beira System

Southern CMR •Bolgoda System & Northern CMR Historical Background (“Dutch Waterways In ” www.Member.tripod.com/hettiarachchi/waterways.html)

• System of Canals dates back to times of King Vira Parakrama Bahu VIII of Kotte. (15 th century) connecting the Ancient Sea Port of .

• Canal Between Negambo & . (By Dutch)

• Old Negambo Canal (Dutch Canal) was original cut by the Sinhalese King in 15 th century, and then re cut by the Portuguese in 17 Century and then by Dutch. • Gavin Hamilton , British Agent in 1802 started a new canal parallel to Dutch Canal. There is evidence that this canal was Constructed by Dutch. This resulted in the also known as – “Hamilton’s Folly’ or “Moda Ela’ Hamilton Canal Meets The Kelani Foot Bridge Across Canal At Elakanda River

Total Length --- 14.5 km Ave. Width --- 15 to 18m Ave. Depth --- 1.5m at low tide

Hamilton Canal Meets Negambo Fishing Boats Parked along the canal Lagoon

Highway Bridge & 4 Foot Bridges with Clearances of 2.4m vertical & 7.1m horizontal. Travel Time Survey. c Starting point End Point Water Average Average Body Node Node Travel Time Speed No Description No Description (mts) (km/hr) N 01 Negambo Town N 02 Lellama 2.10 N 02 Lellama N 03 Munnakkaraya 1.50 N 03 Munnakkaraya N 04 Entry Negambo Lagoon 3.57 27 N 04 Entry Negambo Lagoon N 05 Negambo Lagoon ( ) 11.48 N 05 Negambo Lagoon ( Katunayake) N 06 Hamilton Canal (Lagoon End) 11.02 N 06 Hamilton Canal (Lagoon End) N 07 Ambagahawatte Bridge 1.47 N 07 Ambagahawatte Bridge N 08 Pamunugama Road Bridge 2.20 N 08 Pamunugama Road Bridge N 09 Pamunugama Foot Bridge 0.90 N 09 Pamunugama Foot Bridge N 10 Indigaslanda Road Bridge 2.60 N 10 Indigaslanda Road Bridge N 11 Pulluhena Road Bridge 3.65 N 11 Pulluhena Road Bridge N 12 Mottanpandura Foot Bridge 2.10 N 12 Mottanpandura Foot Bridge N 13 Kadalawala Foot Bridge 2.47 22 N 13 Kadalawala Foot Bridge N 14 Pinwatta 3.03 N 14 Pinwatta N 15 Palliya Road Bridge (Convent) 1.03 N 15 Palliya Road Bridge (Convent) N 16 Uswettakiyawa Highway Bridge 4.70 N 16 Uswettakiyawa Highway Bridge N 17 Dikowita Bridge 6.67 N 17 Dikowita Bridge N 18 Elakanda Foot Bridge 4.80 HamiltonCanal -- NegamboNegambo Lagoon Lagoon HamiltonCanal HamiltonCanal N 18 Elakanda Foot Bridge N 19 Palliyawatte Highway Brdge 2.10 N 19 Palliyawatte Highway Brdge N 20 Hamilton Canal (River End) 1.80 • Travel Time From Negambo Town To Kelani River ---70 mts. •From Hamilton Canal (River End) to New Kelani BridBridgege 10 mts Old Negambo Canal

• Runs Parallel to Hamilton Canal but Interior.

• Connects the Kelani River and Ja-Ela.

• Ja -Ela End is Blocked by a Sluice.

• Navigable- depths insufficient.

• Some Sections filled for CKE.

• Widths Are Insufficient . Puttlam Canal (Canal Between Negambo lagoon & Maha Oya) • 1.6 km From Negambo Lagoon, Brick retaining Wall.

• Remaining 5.6 km to Maha Oya has steep slopes.

• Width Varies from 7 to 9m in Entire stretch.

• Water is stagnated and 70% of the canal is non Navigable due to in sufficient depths.

• Bridges across the canal have sufficient clearances. Kelani River

• One of the major rivers and the widest.

• Navigable up to Hanwella from sea estuary.

• Depth 1.2 to 1.5m in the navigable channel.

• Main Water intake at Ambatale 15 km Upstream from Estuary Werassa Ganga

Moratuwa University BOLGODA LAKE

Colom bo19. 0Km Pili yandala 3.2 Km Kesbewa2. 8Km Polgasowi ta Kesbewa8. 0Km

BOLGODA LAKE

Kimbul Kotuwe Ela

Maha Oya

A 12.5 km

G

N

A

G

E

R

U D

A BOLGODA GANGA

N A

A Aluthgama Wewa

P

G N

PANADURE GANGA A

G

Map

A D

O Gammanpila Wewa G

L Pinwala Ela

O B Walgam W ewa Uyanwatte Wewa

7 km Horana

1.6

Km of Wewita Wewa Southern

Panape Ela

la BOLGODA LAKE itiya E Talp

Maha Ganga

a

INDIAN OCEAN l

E

u

p CMR

p e

Irri gation Channel K Mahawel Ganga Kehellenaw a Mawala Ela

.8 1. BOLGODA LAKE Keppu Ela Km la E la a w a M 7 km Kehellenaw a

Keppu Ela .4 2.

Km

Alut Ela Alut Ela 12.7 km

Moran Ela KALU GANGA KALU GANGA Tebuwana

1 Historical Background

• Mainly consists Natural Waterways Such as Bolgoda Lake , Bolgoda Ganga, Ganga, Etc.

• Canals were constructed dated back to 17 th Century to link natural waterways.

• Transported Heavy machinery to the rubber plantations on the banks and rubber produced to the .

• Later used to transport logs and timber along Kalu Ganga and through Bolgoda Lake in the form of Rafts. Werasa – Panadura Ganga

Kospalana Bridge –––University of Obstruction for Navigation Moratuwa

Railway Bridge ---Panadura Panadura Town In the vicinity Bolgoda Ganga Bolgoda bridge Ferry at Hirana Thotupola

Sun Bathing Landscapes along the Bank of Bolgoda Starting point End Point Water Average Average Body Node Node Travel Speed No Description No Description Time (mts) (km/hr) S 00 Werassa Ganga S 01 University of Moratuwa 6.38 S 01 University of Moratuwa S 02 Kospalana Bridge 2.08 S 02 Kospalana Bridge S 03 Willorawatte 6.57 S 03 Willorawatte S 04 St. Mitchel Island 3.83 S 04 St. Mitchel Island S 05 Indibedda Boat House 6.23 S 05 Indibedda Boat House S 06 Moratuwa Bridge 12.12 10

Travel Ganga S 06 Moratuwa Bridge S 07 Koralawella 9.96 S 07 Koralawella S 08 Katukurunda Church 10.67 Time S 08 Katukurunda Church S 09 Egoda Uyana Bridge (New Road) 11.02

Werassa - Pandura S 09 Egoda Uyana Bridge (New Road) S 10 Panadura Town 6 .21 S 10 Panadura Town S 11 Panadura Railway Bridge 1.97 Survey S 05 Indibedda Boat House S 12 6.63 S12 S 13 Bolgoda Ganga Entry 8.00 S13 Bolgoda Ganga Entry S 14 Kahapola 11.25 S14 Kahapola S 15 Hirana New housing Scheme 6.58 S15 Hirana New housing Scheme S 16 Gonabedi Ferry (Hir ana) 6.45 13 S16 Gonabedi Ferry (Hirana) S 17 Rukgaha Totupola 19.00 S17 Rukgaha Totupola S 18 Bolgoda Bridge 7.06 S18 Bolgoda Bridge S 19 Maswila 3.32 Bolgoda Lake Bolgoda

Bolgoda Ganga - Ganga Bolgoda S19 Maswila S 20 Munanawatta 5.62 Avg. Time from S20 Munanawatta S 21 Bolgoda Lake 11.55 •UOM to Panadura town is 70 mts • UOM to Bolgoda (Bandaragama Road) is 83 mts Alut Ela Canal At Korosduwa Canal Completely Dry at Kirimatiyawa Keppu Ela Keppu Ela Commence from Bolgoda River Canal Crosses Galtudawa Bridge

Pelpola Bridge Meets Kalu Ganga Map of Central CMR

St. Sebestian Canal Kelani Ganga

Kelani Ganga

Beira Lake Heen Ela

Heen Ela

INDIAN OCEAN Diyawanna Oya

Diyawanna Oya

nal Ca Canal atte llaw We Kiralupona CanalKirillopone Canal Cannal Dehiwala Cannal

Bolgoda Canal Boralesgamu Wewa Werassa Ganga Bolgoda Lake Historical Background • Beira Lake – Portuguese Period (1505 – 1658) – Dutch Period (1658 –1796) – British Period (1797-1948) • Economic Usage of Beira Lake • Kotte Lake and Wellawatte Canal – “Padda Boats” Either punted or towed by men carrying loads of Salt, Cinnamon, Coconut, Timber Was a Common Site. Beira Lake South West Lake

Covers 65.4 hects. and Mean depth of 2m

Galle Face Lake Four Basins

Lake house Lock and •EastEast Lake East Lake •WestWest Lake •GalleGalle face Lake

Stagnated West Lake •SouthSouth West Lake Kotte Ela – Wellawatte Canal

• Most Potential Water body for public transport with navigable length of 8.1 km.

• Access to 4 Major Routes within the City. – Galle Road – High Level Road – Base Line Road – Parliament Road.

• 7 Highway bridges

• Mean depth 1.5 m Apollo Hospital Kotte –––Wellawatte Canal Residential Places In Kotte

St. Peters College Walkways Along Canal Bank Travel Time Survey c Starting point End Point Water Average Average Node Node Body Travel Time Speed No Description No Description (mts) (km/hr) C 01 Sethsiri paya C 02 Domino's Pizza Bridge 4.78 C 02 Domino's Pizza Bridge C 03 Beginning of Kottee lak 16.67 C 03 Beginning of Kotte lake C 04 Open uni. NawalaBridge rd 3.83 C 04 Open uni. rd Bridge C 05 Wall tiles Bridge 4.52 C 05 Wall tiles Bridge C 06 Open Uni. Narehenpitage Brid 0.75 C 06 Open Uni. Narehenpita Bridge C 07 Rail way Bridge 1.87 14 C 07 Rail way Bridge C 08 Base line Rd. bridge 1.47 C 08 Base line Rd. bridge C 09 Havelock Rd. Bridge 6.71 C 09 Havelock Rd. Bridge C 10 Dupilation Rd (St) Bridgepeters 5.16 C 10 Dupilation Rd (St peters) Bridge C 11 Galle Road,bridge 1.69 C 11 Galle Road, bridge C 12 Marine Drive Bridge 1.94

KotteKotte -- WellaatteWellaatte CanalCanal C 05 Wall tiles Bridge C 13 Kirimandala Mw Bridge 4.79 - • Avg. Travel Time from Sethsiripaya to Galle Road (St. Peters) is 47 mts Technical Feasibility Five Identified Waterway Systems in CMR

• Kelani River system from up to Hanwella in Northern CMR.

– Hamilton Canal System from Colombo to Negambo town via Kelani River from Peliyagoda, Hamilton Canal, Negambo Lagoon in the Northern CMR.

– Colombo Beira Lake system in Central CMR.

– Kotte-Kirillapone Canalsystem in Central CMR.

– Bolgoda Lake system in Southern CMR. Kelani River System

• Main Water Supply Intake at Ambatale 15 kms from sea estuary.

• Salinity Intrusion to Kelani River Water.

• Motorized movements near Ambatale could further degrade the water quality.

• System presently not considered feasible on Environmental grounds Negambo Town Hamilton Canal System • 237,000 paxs enter Colombo from Victoria Bridge

• 29,405 paxs between Negambo and Colombo (60% using buses)

Ja Ela

• Entry to canal from 2 ends only. Kanda na

Travel Time Travel (Mts) User Distance Waterway Path Off Peak (Km) Road Path Peak CKE Trace By Car 90 45 Road 30.5 By Bus 100 60 Canal (At the speed of 72 30.1 Victori a 25 km/h) Bridge Colombo Beira Lake Strong Radial Character of city Road Network

Lake path acts as a East – West link for the network

45,000 jobs in Beira Lake Area out of 320,000 jobs in CMC limits •Vehicle traffic is steady through out the day. •Saving on travel time and distance via water. •Peak Hour Passenger flow of 16,000 pax./hr for public transport compared to 4,000 for private transport. •The system is technically feasible as a public transport system.

Galle Face Hyde Park Corner Railway St. Travel time Secretariat (mts) Car Bus Boat Car Bus Boat Car Bus Boat

Fort Railway St. --- 3.46 4.15 1.85 10.02 12.02 5.30 Galle Face 3.46 4.15 1.85 8.24 16.99 6.67 Secretariat --- Hyde Park Corner 10.02 12.02 5.30 8.24 16.99 6.67 Union Place --- Wellawatte – Kirillapone Canal

Average Daily Location Traffic (ADT) Sri J'Pura Rd (Domino's Pizza 59407 Ethul Kotte) Galle Rd ( Wellaw atte Bridge) 51298 Baseline Rd ( Appollo Hospital) 23849 Havelock Rd Pier Location (Weaving Mills) 48968 Canal Route Narehenpita Rd (Wall tiles) 20234 Nawala Rd ( Open university) 29734 Bolgoda Lake System

Kospala • Two navigable channels na

• Low passenger movements across the study area.

• Slow speeds due to ‘Ja-

Panadu Kotu’ ra Town

Bolgod a • Potential for recreational Activities Navigable Route Concluding Remarks on Technical Feasibility

• Technically Non Feasible – Kelani River System – Hamilton Canal System – Bolgoda System

• Technically Feasible – Wellawatte – Kirillapone Canal System – Colombo Beira Lake Financial Feasibility

• Sample for Wellawatte-Kirullapone Canal.

• Total cost obtained from Assumed values for Generalised cost (i.e. time costs & fare)

• Modal shift assumed from bus for ordinary boat service and from car for value added boat service. Savings on travel distances for public transport and (car) users

Travel Distance Batt. Raja. Narah Open Uni. Kiril. Weav. Dehi. Wella Bamba. Kollu. Saving (Km) 662201 661340 662124 662155 662118 662159 662802 662001 662005 661201 0.22 0.82 0.77 1.71 0.90 662201 - 0 (0) (0.82) (0.36) (0.50) 0 (0.57) 0 0 0.09 0.89 0.21 661340 0 - 0 0 (0) (0.14) 0 (0.21) 0 0 0.22 0.80 0.13 0.22 662124 (0) 0 - 0 0 (0.21) (0) (0.22) 0 0 Open Univ. 0.82 0.69 1.49 0.81 Nawala 662155 (0.82) 0 0 - (0.69) (0.83) 0 (0.81) 0 0 0.77 0.09 0.69 Kirillapone 662118 (0.36) (0) 0 (0.69) - 0 0 0 0 0 Weaving Mills 1.71 0.89 0.80 1.49 0.08 0.08 High Level Rd 662159 (0.50) (0.14) (0.21) (0.83) 0 - (0) (0.08) 0 0 0.13 0.08 Dehiwela 662802 0 0 (0) 0 0 (0) - 0 0 0 0.90 0.21 0.22 0.81 0.08 Wellawatte 662001 (0.57) (0.21) (0.22) (0.81) 0 (0.08) 0 - 0 0

Bambalapitiya 662005 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0

Kollupitiya 661201 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - Savings in travel time when transferring from bus

Travel Time (Min) Origin Destination By Bus Only By Bus And Boat No of Time No of Time Bus Route Transfer (Min) Transfer (Min)

Battaramulla (170,177,174) - ; Apollo Hospital Borella (103,135,178) - Narehenpita 1 49.47 1 28.08

Battaramulla (177) - Kollupitya; Kollupitya (100,101) - Wellawatte 1 76.08

Battaramulla (170,177,174) - Borella; Wellawatte Borella (104, 154) - ; 2 72.01 2 39.76 Bambalapitiya (100,101)- Wellawatte

Battaramulla (163) - Dehiwela; Dehiwella ( 100,101) - Wellawatte 1 47.43 Battaramulla Battaramulla (177) - Kollupitya; Kollupitya (100,101) - 1 66.83 Bambalapitiya

Bambalapitiya Battaramulla (170,177,174) - Borella; 2 40.40 Borella (104, 154) - Bambalapitiya 1 57.76

Battaramulla (163) - Dehiwela; Dehiwella ( 100,101) - Bambalapitiya 1 56.68 Savings in Travel Time when transferring from Car

Travel Time (Min) Origin Destination By Car at Peak Hour By Canal Route Time (Min) At 14 km/h ** At 25 km/h Nawala Open Sri Jayawardenapura 14.81 20.50 11.26 University Mw, - Nawala Rd.

Narehenpita Sri J'pura Mw, - Nawala Rd - Narehenpita rd - 18.46 29.11 15.99 (Apollo Hospital) Baseline rd. Ethulkotte (Domino's Havelock Rd Sri J'pura Mw, - Nawala Rd - Narehenpita rd - 20.60 35.82 19.67 Pizza) (Weaving Mills) Baseline rd - Park rd.

Sri J'pura Mw - Nawala Wellewatte Rd - Narehenpita rd - Baseline rd - 35.71 42.67 23.43 (St. Peters) Kirullapana Junc.- W.A. Silva Rd - Galle Rd

** Surveyed Speed at 14 km/h due to vegetation on water

Share of boat passengers for 3 operating scenarios

Scenario 111: 1::: At frequency and fare structure equal to buses.

Scenario 222: 2::: Boat fare structure 40% higher than bus and frequency ½.

Scenario 333: 3::: Boat fare 100% higher than bus and the frequency 1/4th.

Modal Share on Boat (%) Origin Destination @ 20Km/h @ 25 km/h @ 30 km/h

Wellawatte 26.8 ~ 7.3 ~ 0.6 35.5 ~ 10.6 ~ 0.9 42.0 ~ 13.5 ~ 1.2

Pamankada 34.6 ~ 10.9 ~ 1.0 43.0 ~ 14.8 ~ 1.4 48.8 ~ 18.0 ~ 1.8

Bathar Nawala 22.6 ~ 7.6 ~ 0.9 26.8 ~ 9.3 ~ 1.2 29.9 ~ 10.7 ~ 1.3 amulla Narahenpita 44.2 ~ 17.2 ~ 2.1 51.5 ~ 21.8 ~ 2.8 56.4 ~ 25.4 ~ 3.4

Bambalapitiya 49.3 ~ 17.3 ~ 1.6 59.4 ~ 23.9 ~ 2.3 65.7 ~ 29.2 ~ 3.1

Dehiwela 1.3 ~ 0.28 ~ 0.02 1.95 ~ 0.4 3 ~ 0.03 2.54 ~ 0.56 ~ 0.04 The Optimum Revenue for the boat service is at speed of 25 m/hr and headway of 10 mts and when operating at 70% of the Bus fare.

35

30

25

20 Battaramulla – Wellawatte Speed 25 km/h 15 Frequency 10 mts. Actual VOC of boat 10 C x Revenue (Rs) (Rs) C C x x Revenue Revenue 5

0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.2 X Bus Fare (RS) Conclusion

• IWT in CMR is defined in to 3 systems with 5 waterways have potential for transport services

• Battaramulla-Wellawatte canal system and Beira Lake system are found to be technically feasible for a public transport system with former identified as the best route.

• Hamilton canal may not be competitive if CKE is operational, Bolgoda has low speeds and may be better suitable for development for recreational activities, while Kelani River requires more study related to impacts to Ambatale.

• The Battaramulla-Wellawatte canal shows it can be made financially feasible under efficient operating conditions.

• Potential to develop as a network with possible sea transport services as well. Thank You