President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed officials to begin implementing the Anuradhapura Sacred City Development Plan within this year, with the project expected to involve an investment of up to Rs. 6.5 billion with the support of the Government of India.

The President issued the instructions during a discussion at the Anuradhapura District Secretariat on Aug. 29, according to the President’s Media Division.The development plan is to be reviewed and updated with new proposals, while the Director General of the National Physical Planning Department has been instructed to present the plan to the Anuradhapura Sacred City Development Committee on Sept. 8 and finalize the detailed plan by Sept. 15.A key component of the project will be reducing traffic congestion and developing the Sacred City as an environmentally sensitive zone.

The President instructed officials to restrict environmentally harmful diesel vehicles within the Sacred City and introduce an organized circular transport service using electric buses. The buses are expected to come under the Municipal Council and operate as a regular daily service.The proposed transport system is intended to make it easier for pilgrims to visit the Atamasthana, the eight sacred sites in Anuradhapura.Plans to encourage devotees to travel on foot were also discussed, including the construction of separate pedestrian and cycling lanes and the establishment of rest areas in cooler environments for pilgrims arriving by train and bus.

The President said archaeological locations within the Sacred City should not simply be regarded as ruins, but as “living historical sites” that continue to be venerated by the public. He called for development plans to take this into consideration when providing facilities for pilgrims.The Sacred City Development Project is being upgraded with assistance from the Government of India, with the investment increased to as much as Rs. 6.5 billion on the President’s instructions, the PMD said.The President also called for a clear distinction between components of the project to be undertaken by UNESCO and those to be implemented with Indian assistance, saying this would provide greater clarity about the overall project, including for the Maha Sangha.

Under the development plan, the existing Sacred City boundary covering 28 square kilometers is expected to be expanded to 38 square kilometers.The President instructed officials to prioritize different components and prepare a systematic work program to prevent development projects from being delayed by archaeological excavations.Relevant institutions should also be consulted, with preliminary approval obtained separately for each project before construction begins, he said.

The meeting also focused on the proposed resettlement of 331 families currently living in the Inner City area to Lolugaswewa and the establishment of a fair compensation mechanism.The President instructed the Divisional Secretary and Chief of Presidential Staff Prabath Chandrakeerthi to engage directly with residents and discuss available alternatives, including the provision of land, houses or financial compensation, before reaching a decision.Members of the Maha Sangha representing the Atamasthana, Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe, Housing, Construction and Water Supply Minister Susil Ranasinghe, Anuradhapura District Secretary Ranjith Wimalasuriya and senior officials from several state institutions attended the discussion.