• Speaker announces plans to prepare MPs’ quarters ahead of Dec. sessions
• Madiwela housing units offered to MPs on rent; maintenance a priority

Newly-elected Members of Parliament (MPs) who live 40 km away from Parliament are likely to get accommodation at the MPs’ quarters in Madiwela on a sharing basis.

According to Speaker Dr. Ashoka Ranwala, instructions have been given to clean the MPs’ quarters. 

“We haven’t made any decisions about accommodation for MPs yet, but we have instructed that the Madiwela quarters be cleaned. If there is a space issue, MPs can utilise the quarters on a sharing basis,” he told The Sunday Morning.

“MPs who are from outstation areas will have to come to Colombo on 2 December for the 3 December sessions. We are not sure whether the quarters will be ready before then. However, we have not decided on an alternative solution yet,” he added.

At present, the Parliament Members’ Services Office has one main quarters reserved for the use of MPs.

The Madiwela Housing Complex consists of 120 housing units, each with a floor area of 900 sq ft, featuring three bedrooms, a pantry, a living/dining area, a servant’s toilet, and a parking space. 

These units are available for occupation by eligible members on a rental basis.

Additionally, the office maintains a 19-room holiday bungalow – the General’s House – in Nuwara Eliya exclusively for MPs and their families.

The office works to provide residential services such as the allocation of houses from the Madiwela scheme, as well as the reservation of rooms at the General’s House.

It also oversees the coordination of repairs and maintenance work for the Madiwela units and General’s House, in collaboration with the Coordinating Engineer’s Department.