The mega development project is in line with the Colombo City Development Plan aiming to convert Colombo into a clean, green, and people friendly city.

The Arcade Independence Square Shopping Complex has been built at a cost of Rs 550 million under the Colombo City Development Plan, carried out by the UDA under the guidance of Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

The project includes the development of the area adjacent to Independence Square and refurbishment of the former Auditor General’s Department building. The building that had been an eyesore owing to haphazard development projects, was refurbished by the UDA under the Independence Square Development Project with the inputs and expertise of several disciplines within the UDA including town planners, architects and engineers. The UDA got the the assistance of Sri Lanka Army too to refurbishe and renovate the area adjacent to the Independent Square in accordance with the guidelines provided to them by the Department of Archaeology.The renovation activities of this building complex were carried out without damaging its archaeological and original architectural value.

The long term management mechanism of leasing buildings for shops and restaurants anticipates initial development costs to be recovered within a shorter period of time.(ST/KH)

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