The 1,000-unit Port View Residencies housing complex in Grandpass, Colombo, was officially launched on September 15, with the first group of beneficiaries moving into their new homes.
Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister Bimal Rathnayake, who attended the launch, said around 250 families had moved into the complex, while the government expects around 750 families to be settled within the next eight months, before April 2027.
Rathnayake said authorities had decided to move residents into the 1,000-unit complex in stages instead of settling all beneficiaries simultaneously, allowing essential services and facilities to be provided more effectively.
The minister said the project commenced in May 2020 with financing from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), but was delayed by around 30 months due to the economic crisis.
According to Rathnayake, the project was initially estimated to cost around Rs. 5.95 billion, while approximately Rs. 10 billion has now been spent on the development.
The 15-storey Port View Residencies complex consists of 1,000 housing units, each covering 500 square feet.
Rathnayake said lessons learned from shortcomings in previous housing schemes had been taken into consideration, with several additional facilities incorporated into the development.
The complex includes a health centre, community hall, daycare centre, police post, Grama Niladhari office, fire response unit, supermarket, children’s park and handball court.
The minister also said beneficiaries were given the opportunity to propose a suitable name for the housing complex, with residents themselves selecting “Port View Residencies.”
The project was constructed under the Support to Colombo Urban Regeneration Project (SCURP), implemented by the Urban Development Authority.
Housing deeds and keys were handed over to beneficiaries at the launch, which was also attended by Deputy Minister of Urban Development Eranga Gunasekara and other government and local government representatives. (Newswire)