Some Street names in Colombo OLD and NEW – By Hemal Gurusinghe For those who grew up in a different era and left Sri Lanka long ago, will now be lost if they were to find directions in Colombo by their current street names. Politicians made a great deal about changing street names.  Perhaps to display their “Nationalism”, maybe an easy con to fool the people. This mania of changing street names happens all the time and everywhere.  London changed streets named after colonial characters whose reputations are now in question.  The irony is that it is Saddiq Khan, the Mayor of London, who is presiding over these changes in the aftermath of Black Lives Matter protests.  Unlike Colombo, New Delhi (and other state capitols) renamed their colonial era street names after internationally famous people, like Nelson Mandela.  In Colombo, one hardly knows some of the characters whose names adorn ...

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Colombo’s trams-By Dilshan Nadeera A historical vignette The Colombo Electric Lighting and Tramways Co Ltd was a British company represented in Ceylon by Boustead Brothers. The Tramways were ready for operations by 1899/1900. This company owned and operated the Pettah Power Station at Saunders Place which supplied the 110 volts DC power to propel the trams. The tramcar Depot was next to the Gas Works adjoining the Pettah Power Station. From the depot the tramcars entered and exited through Gasworks Street on one side joining with Main Street, and on the other with Norris Road (today Olcott Mawatha). Turning right the route went past the Pettah Railway Station, New Fort Railway Station and Old Fort Railway Station. Lower Chatham Street alongside the Central Telegraph Office and the Chamber Of Commerce, took a right turn on to York Street near the Registrar General’s Office, passed Bristol Hotel, Millers/Cargills, Colombo Apothecaries, National ...

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