AIIB Review Mission Highlights Progress in Landslide Mitigation

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Implementation Review Mission met with the Defence Secretary, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), at the Ministry of Defence on 26 March, following a recent field visit to evaluate the Reduction of Landslide Vulnerability by Mitigation Measures Project (RLVMMP).

During the meeting, Senior Investment Officer Tomas Herrero and the mission members appreciated the progress of the project, highlighting the ongoing physical interventions, including slope stabilization, which have significantly enhanced Sri Lanka's capacity to reduce disaster-related damage in highly vulnerable areas.

The Defence Secretary proposed extending this successful mitigation model to the railway sector, specifically requesting AIIB support to stabilize the damaged Rambukkana-Kandy railway line affected during Cyclone Ditwa.

It is expected that integrating these specialized landslide mitigation strategies into the transport network will ensure the safety and reliability of vital mountain transit routes.

The meeting concluded with a briefing attended by senior officials from the AIIB Mission, the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO), and the Disaster Management Centre (DMC).