Work has recommenced on the third phase of the Sethsiripaya office complex in Battaramulla following a suspension caused by Sri Lanka's economic difficulties, with authorities targeting completion within 30 months.
Construction of Sethsiripaya Phase III officially resumed on Thursday under the direction of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister Bimal Rathnayake, marking a restart of the stalled project. Deputy Minister of Urban Development Eranga Gunasekara attended the recommencement ceremony as the initiative moves forward with backing from multiple government agencies including the Urban Development Authority, the Ministry of Power, the Department of Inland Revenue and the State Pharmaceutical Corporation.
The office complex, first initiated in 2019, had been suspended at various points due to economic pressures but is now progressing again. The completed structure will contain 25 floors spanning approximately 1.4 million square feet of usable space, with an estimated construction cost of Rs. 33.02 billion. The facility is planned to house modern office areas, meeting venues, public service centres, retail and commercial spaces alongside parking infrastructure.
Authorities have set a 30-month timeline for project completion, emphasizing the development's role in enhancing administrative efficiency and modernizing public service delivery. The initiative forms part of a broader government strategy to decentralize administrative operations by relocating offices from central Colombo locations to the Battaramulla area, where multiple state institutions have already relocated. Officials view this relocation as part of efforts to position Colombo as a commercial hub while establishing Battaramulla as an administrative centre.
