Bloemendhal housing project nears completion

Access Engineering PLC (AEL), Sri Lanka’s premier construction enterprise, is nearing the completion of a housing project in Bloemendhal, Colombo 14, which is expected to be completed later this month.

Initiated by the Urban Development Authority (UDA), the project will see the construction of 452 housing units in a total of 15 floors of the building, where Access Engineering PLC served as the main contractor by designing, constructing and financing the project located in 601 Watta, K. Cyril C. Perera Mawatha, Bloemendhal, Colombo 14.

Commencing the project back in October 2018, AEL aims to complete the project by January 2022, having faced numerous hardships, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Furthermore, a shortage of skilled workers required for construction was also experienced by AEL, which was negated by the acquiring of labourers from neighbouring India, in order to expedite the construction process.
AEL, which is also at the forefront of innovative engineering, introduced precast concrete wall panels to the interior walls of 369 housing units to overcome the shortage of cement blocks in the market.

Furthermore, AEL also conducted a CSR initiative with the support of the Vocational Training Authority (VTA) of Sri Lanka, where unemployed youths from across the island were involved in training programmes in craftsmanship. A number of youths were trained in the areas of carpeting, painting and steel bar bending under the project.  
The pilot youth training programme titled ‘Visal Puhunu Balakaya’ aims at developing skilled labour in order to provide these individuals the opportunity to seek employment in the future and to tackle the shortage of skilled labourers in the country.