The government is moving forward with a major housing project to build 1,996 housing units for low-income families currently living in underserved areas of Colombo and its suburbs, with the support of a grant from China. The major resettlement project is aimed at improving the living standards of these communities while eliminating informal settlements in the city, according to the Urban and Rural Development Ministry.
Additionally, the project also targets the liberation of lands in the city, which could be used for rehousing, commercial, mixed-use development and recreational purposes, in line with the Colombo City Development Plan. The new housing units under the project will be built in the form of multi-story apartments in several areas, including Moratuwa, Kottawa, Dematagoda, Maharagama and Peliyagoda.