Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa says a Chinese firm was not behind the Ambuluwawa Cable Car Project, clarifying that the company involved had consisted of only one Chinese national. 

Addressing the post-Cabinet weekly media briefing on Tuesday, Minister Jayatissa said that the board in charge of the Ambuluwawa Tower consists of Sri Lankan nationals. 

He further revealed that this board had entered into an agreement with Amber Adventures in June 2023 for the Ambuluwawa Cable Car Project.

“There is one Chinese national, identified as Huan Yuping, functioning as a member of the initial Board of Directors. Apart from this individual, the remaining members are Sri Lankan nationals. The Chinese national owns 36% of the company, while the remaining shares are owned by Sri Lankan nationals and Sri Lankan entities. As such, it is a single Chinese individual and not a Chinese Company as claimed,” Minister Jayatissa clarified. 

The Cabinet Spokesman went on to note that severe landslides were reported in the Ambuluwawa area following Cyclone Ditwah, and it has been identified as a high-risk zone.

Minister Jayatissa revealed that the National Building Research Organization was continuing to monitor the area and was preparing its report.

Meanwhile, a technical team of the Ministry of Environment is set to engage in an inspection tour of the site proposed for the Cable Car Project on February 10 and submit a report. 

Minister Jayatissa said that, as the proposed site has been identified as landslide -prone, a technical assessment is required before commencing the proposed Cable Car Project. 

He added that a probe will be conducted and legal action will be taken against irregularities and those responsible for them. (Newswire)

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The Court of Appeal has issued a writ order against the Gampola Divisional Secretary, preventing any unauthorized interference or obstruction in the operations of Sri Lanka’s first cable car project, currently under construction in the Ambuluwawa area.

The court yesterday (07) also ordered the Divisional Secretary to pay Rs. 100,000 in legal costs to the petitioner.

The ruling was delivered by Justice Gihan Kulatunga in response to a writ petition filed by Amber Adventure (Pvt) Ltd, the company implementing the project.

In its petition, the company stated that all necessary approvals had been obtained from relevant government agencies to proceed with the project, yet the Gampola Divisional Secretary had obstructed its progress.

Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, President’s Counsel Ali Sabry argued that the project site falls entirely within the jurisdiction of the Urban Development Authority (UDA), and that the Divisional Secretary had no legal authority to intervene.

The petition further claimed that due to the unauthorized interference, the project could not be completed within the scheduled timeframe, prompting the company to seek a court order to prevent further disruption. (Newswire)

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The first phase of Sri Lanka’s first cable car project is expected to be completed by October this year, it was reported. 

This was revealed during the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong’s visit to Ambuluwawa, Gampola on Sunday (23 Mar) for an inspection of the project.

During the visit, the Chinese Ambassador met the Chairman of the Ambuluwawa Trust and Parliamentarian Anuradha Jayaratne.

Engaging with the Chinese Ambassador, MP Jayaratne said the project, of which a feasibility study was completed 18 years ago, is now becoming a reality due to the involvement of Chinese and American investors.

“The cable car service would be expanded to the Gampola Railway Station. This is to provide a break at Gampola for foreign tourists travelling to Nuwara Eliya. These tourists will be able to enjoy a cable car ride to Ambuluwawa,” he added. 

Sri Lanka’s first cable car project covers a distance of 1.8 km between the Ambuluwawa Religious and Biodiversity Complex to the summit of the Ambuluwawa Hill and then connects to the Ambuluwawa Agrarian Tower. (Newswire)

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The agreement signed on establishing the first cable car operation in Sri Lanka will be a unique experience that brings much-needed novel facts as the destination for international travellers, while it also opens a new page of adventure tourism in Sri Lanka, the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI) said. 

Issuing a statement, the BOI said an agreement worth U$ 4.5 Million was signed with Amber Adventure and Ambuluwawa Bio Diversity Center to establish the first cable car operation in Sri Lanka. 

The BOI further said that the cable car will be constructed with technical and product expertise from China Machine-Building International Corporation.

“Adventure-seeking local and foreign visitors will get scenic beauty and high elevation adrenalin rush 3500 feet above sea level cable car rides. The technology, operation, and maintenance will create a new breed of technician in the country and it will add new knowledge of technical know-how to our technically savvy technocrat men,” the BOI statement said.

The BOI further said the total length of the cable car rides is 1.5 kilometres, three stations will provide the exit and entry facilities and the cable car pathway is designed through the biodiversity centre forest range.  

The Location of this cable project is Ambuluwawa, a biodiversity complex and Sri Lanka’s first multi-religious sanctuary situated in the central highlands of the country.  The Ambuluwawa Trigonometrical Station in Gampola consists of a large winding tower resembling a stylized Buddhist stupa, a Hindu Kovil, a Muslim mosque, and a Christian Church. The area contains 470 acres in extent. 

The ecosystem of the location has rich biodiversity and provides sanctuary for 29 endemic species found in Ambuluwawa Mountain. The total number is 126 species, 11 mammalian species, including 01 endemic, 59 avian species including 07 endemic species, 30 reptilian species including 13 endemic species, 13 amphibian species including 06 endemic species, and 13 butterfly species including 02 endemic species, BOI said.

The BOI went on to note that the new cable car experience will allow 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains, forests, rivers, and towns. It is an area richly diverse, with evergreen forests, flora and fauna forest canopy as well creepers, and about 200 different kinds of plants from 80 plant families including a variety of medicinal plants. 

Ambuluwawa is surrounded by many mountains including Piduruthalagala from the East, Bible Rock (Bathalegala) from the West, Sri Pada (Adam’s Peak) from the South, and Knuckles Mountain Range from the North. Apart from these mountains many other mountains are also clearly visible from here and add to the beauty of the area. These are the Hanthana Mountain Range, Hunnasigiri Mountain, and mountain ranges associated with Algalla and Kadugannawa. There is a cool mountain breeze in the area due to this reason. The Ambuluwawa Hill and the adjacent forest are designated as a forest reservation which is named the Ambuluwawa Forest Reservation. 

On the Technical Collaboration, the BOI said that technical and product expertise will be provided by China Machine-Building International Corporation, a Fortune 500 company established in 1980. It is one of the important industrial and trade enterprises under the China National Machinery Industry Corporation.

Since its establishment more than 40 years ago, the company has always adhered to the purpose of “integrating industry and trade, integrating technology and trade, promoting international economic and technical cooperation in the electromechanical industry. 

The company will provide total integrated solutions for cable cars which include, 8 and 6 seats, Closed, weatherproof, panoramic, window opening style, Automatic door opening, and closing function facilities. Further, it has a large volume of transportation capacity, about 400 people per hour.  The cabins stop at all three stations, which is convenient for tourists and easy to get in and off. The sections will be built in such a way that no pillars, has easy operation, and maintenance. All the station houses will be designed in coordination with the surrounding environment, In the overall arrangement, station buildings will be compatible with the surrounding architectural style, and become featurette buildings, not only not to impair scenery, but also to beautify architectural colours.

The BOI added that the first cable car experience in Sri Lanka is not only an adventure covering the multiple offerings at Ambulwawa, but will also provide a diverse eco, spiritual, and cultural experience to the local and foreign travellers. (NewsWire)

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An agreement has been signed for Sri Lanka’s first Cable Car experience at Ambuluwawa, a biodiversity complex and Sri Lanka’s first multi-religious sanctuary situated in the central highlands.

The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka (BOI) announced that an agreement has been signed with Amber Adventure for US$ 4.5 million for this purpose.

The BOI further said the agreement is in collaboration with the Ambuluwawa Bio Diversity Center.

Sri Lanka’s first Cable Car will be constructed using technical and product expertise from the China Machine-Building International Corporation, the BOI added. (NewsWire)

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The proposed cable car line from Nanu Oya to Nuwara Eliya has been halted due to a Forest Department official refusing to grant permission for a plot of land on a mountain, Parliamentarian Madura Vithanage alleged in Parliament on Tuesday.

Addressing the Parliament yesterday (Oct 03), MP Vithanage said the Forest Department official was refusing to grant permission to release 150 perches on the Kikiliyamana mountain, citing that it is a highly sensitive zone.

Despite two Cabinet papers having been presented on the matter in 2018 and 2021, the project has been halted due to the action of the Forest Department official, he said.

Stating that he has studied the project report of the company, MP Vithanage said it has been prepared in a manner to protect the environment as well. 

The Parliamentarian further warned that the halting of such a project, which is an investment of USD 55 million, and other such investment projects will result in major losses for the country. (NewsWire)

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