Sri Lanka_ In a world that is trading harmful practices that have adverse effects on the planet we call “home’’, for more eco-conscious, sustainable approaches to day-to-day life, Sri Lanka too has decided to take a step in the right direction to strive towards a greener island nation. Grappling with the traumas of a strained economy, it is essential that Sri Lanka widens the country’s horizons toward adopting sustainable practices in all spheres of society. To remedy the socio-economic struggle prevalent on the island to a certain extent, while subsequently safeguarding the environment, changing existing transportation and mobility approaches for more sustainable options is mandatory.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka, has collaborated with the Ministry of Transport and Highways and the Ministry of Power and Energy, together with the Department of Motor Traffic and the National Transport Commission to formulate a project that will aim at achieving mainstream e-mobility by converting 500,000 Tuk-Tuks to electric vehicles (EVs) or e-Tuk-Tuks over a 5-year timeline.
This 5-year strategy is set to aim toward reducing the nation’s carbon footprint by enhancing low-carbon, inclusive mobility and opening up equitable development pathways in Sri Lanka.
The proposed initiative will consist of three phases; an incubation phase, a demonstration phase, and an acceleration phase. Testing the conversion of the vehicles will be done in the incubation phase while the demonstration phase will support the conversions. The acceleration phase will oversee concessional financing and infrastructure development through market forces.
Hon, Bandula Gunawardene, Minister of Transport and Highways speaking at the project launch briefing stated, “This pilot project will serve as a platform to launch electric three-wheelers in the country. Electric three-wheelers will not only benefit individual operators but also contribute to springboarding the country’s economic recovery process.’’
Expressing views on the role played by the UNDP in this green venture, Ms. Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative of the UNDP in Sri Lanka attributed that this pilot project is a part of the UNDP’s Green Development Portfolio which will aim to bring sustainable solutions to support the country’s development, with relations to transportation and e-mobility. The proposed venture will join the forces of the UNDP and the Sri Lankan Government to establish a plan that will prioritize marginalized groups.
Mr. Nishantha Anurudda Weerasinghe, Commissioner General of Motor Traffic highlighting the part played by the DMT said, a system is in place to register electric three-wheelers in Sri Lanka while a list of specifications has been compiled with the support of the UNDP in order to select suitable three-wheelers for the conversion. He added that this step may encourage three-wheel drivers to partake in this project by converting their petrol three-wheelers to electric ones.
