Ragama town to be developed as health, education, and transport hub – Minister

Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development, Bimal Rathnayake, informed Parliament today (23) that plans have been formulated to construct a Multimodal Transport Hub centered around Ragama town.

The Minister made these remarks in Parliament while addressing unauthorized constructions in the Ragama area, which he said have become a major obstacle to ongoing development initiatives.

He stated that Ragama town has been identified under the Ja-Ela Urban Development Plan as a Health City, with parallel plans to develop it as an Education City. However, unauthorized constructions have hindered progress, he added.

According to the Minister, about six individuals are currently occupying such unauthorized structures.

“When officials went there, it was learned during discussions that they were not allowed to inspect. It appears they are acting with old political strengths. This is an obstacle to the development of Ragama town. Therefore, this removal process will be carried out,” he said.

The Minister further highlighted that Ragama has significant potential as a Health City due to the presence of major healthcare institutions and a large number of students engaged in medical education. 

“Additionally, a nursing school located in the Kandana area strengthens Ragama’s position as an emerging education hub,” he stated.

Emphasizing Ragama’s strategic importance in transportation, he noted that the town already offers multimodal transport services, including railway connectivity, bus passenger transport, and taxi services. 

In this context, plans have been made to establish a Multimodal Transport Hub to enhance connectivity and support the town’s broader urban development objectives, he added.