• ‘Aragalaya’ site to be put to market 

The mixed-development project proposed to be developed at Baladaksha Mawatha by Barl Investment Ltd. is facing delays, The Sunday Morning learns. 

Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said the project was yet to be finalised due to a dispute between the Government Valuation Department and the valuation done by Barl Investment for the proposal. 

“We have given them some time. They have valued the land and given a different valuation to the one provided by the Valuation Department. The proposal is a mixed-development project for a hotel, as far as I know,” said Ranatunga. 

It was reported that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the investor on 16 February.

Last month, National People’s Power (NPP) MP Vijitha Herath alleged in Parliament that the Government was planning to provide the ‘GotaGoGama’ ‘Aragalaya’ site, also located near the Baladaksha Mawatha, for a casino project. 

Ranatunga said the project by Barl Investment was not for the ‘Aragalaya’ site, but that the Government was looking for an investor for that site as well. 

“In fact, we are looking for an investor for the ‘Aragalaya’ land also. We have to put it on the market first,” he said. 

Herath earlier said that the ‘Aragalaya’ site was a turning point in Sri Lanka’s political history and it being provided for a casino was a mark of revenge against those who had engaged in the public protests in 2022 which ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa from his seat.  

Meanwhile, the Urban Development Authority (UDA) has recently stated that it is due to finalise 22 mixed-development, waterfront, tourism, IT, and residential projects from 2024 onwards.