Did you know that almost 2 million people commute in to Colombo city each day, out of which 52% of them use public transportation? Imagine such sheer quantities of people travelling—or rather crawling— to offices, schools or entertainment hubs. No wonder the roads running in to Colombo are forever congested and commuters like us are always so frustrated! Did you also know that an average Lankan travels at the speed of 10 km/h inside Colombo Municipal Council limits? Most of us spend well over an hour, on average,on the road, one way. Then you have to factor in the return journey back home and the travel time that increases two-fold during peak hours – I’m honestly on the verge of just giving up! I’ve always wondered if there is a solution to this problem that almost every one of us faces. A solution that brings convenience right to my fingertips.
I hear that living in the Heart of the City is a long term investment that not only has great pay-offs but will improve my lifestyle by leaps and bounds too – and I have definitely put a lot of thought into it. I’ve always pictured this, waking up in an apartment I can call my own, gazing out my window to see skyscrapers in the distance and oceans beyond – with the City outside, and tranquility inside. I imagine snapping my fingers to switch off my alarm clock and brewing a pot of coffee whilst I gaze out at the hustle and bustle of Colombo beneath me, but the great thing is, I’m not a part of that grind anymore. It’s 8.15 and I’m ready to take a leisurely stroll to office because I don’t have to fret about hiring a cab anymore, or getting stuck in painfully slow traffic. Now that is Colombo Living. Most of my conversations these days are centered around scenarios like this because I’m curious to know how that kind of lifestyle would pay off for me. On average, I spend over two hours in my car getting in and out of Colombo in the midst of office rush.
Couple this with the 101 things that my daily schedule demands of me and there are just not enough hours in the day to get everything done! There’s just so much time lost while I sweat away my worries on Galle Road; time that I, for one, would prefer to spend hanging out with friends, getting that much needed workout, doing fun things with family, getting a bit more work or studying done, or simply getting some precious “me” time. My mind is racing and I just can’t get this idea out of my head – but I don’t know what to do! Should I go for it?
by Shehara de Silva
