Phase 1 : The preliminary study phase, completed in March 2001, demonstrated the relevancy to assist CMC on how to use GIS to help define and assess urban policies. It consisted of defining the project development phase, including action plans, timing, budget and organisation.

Phase 2 : The development phase got the European Commission approval on June 22nd, 2001 and the contract has been extended until September 2003.Official project closure happened on September 22nd 2003.

By September 2003, the three sub-projects as defined in the partnership agreement have been completed and associated documentation published.

The Multimedia tool for urban communication purposes (Sub-Project 1) is realised and operational within CMC.

The GIS for urban and sector planning (Sub-Project 2) is being processed within CMC and data base completion achieved. Sample of cartographic documents are available on this site.

The GIS for local operational planning (Sub-Project 3) is composed of three data bases corresponding to three mapping scales, namely :

- LEVEL 1/City level : this GIS comprises the location of the USS for the whole city, attached to a basic data base.

The idea was to better link the LASDO project with the PRIMUSS (GTZ) and the Poverty Reduction Projects (UK funding via the UN Habitat).

- LEVEL 2/Wards 2 and 34

This GIS is more detailed, integrating results from the survey on USS carried out by the NGO SEVANATHA during the reporting period. This GIS comprises 62 USS, divided into 6 different categories, as indicated in the table below :

Types and repartition of USS between wards 2 and 34 (as recorded by SEVANATHA surveyors during the reporting period) :

• Upgraded shanties
• Non-upgraded shanties

The selection of the settlements was done over the reporting period as a result of a consultation process among project partners. The SC validated this selection in February 2003. The four USS were the following :

1. 3 WATTA (non- upgraded shanty located in ward 34)
2. 702 WATTA (non- upgraded shanty located in ward 2)
3. 737 WATTA (upgraded shanty located in ward 2)
4. 24 WATTA (upgraded shanty located in ward 34)

The criterias for the selection were based on two major parameters : the USS should comprise low income households on the one hand, and their size should be approppriate (35 to 50 housing units) on the other. Another important criteria was the historical background of the USS : they all date from more than 15 years, which made it easier to develop on-site upgrading (people are soundly settled, communities are more organised, more homogeneous).

The last USS, 24 WATTA, was chosen in common with GTZ since it also belongs to GTZ pilot sites. Project managers found it a good opportunity to develop synergies and common approaches between these two pilot housing upgrading initiatives.

However, because of important time and data availability constraints, only the 24 WATTA could be treated and integrated into a GIS for local operational planning over the second year. This GIS can be considered one of the major outcomes of the sub-project 3. Indeed, this level is the smallest geographical level designed in the scope of the project. Based on the ward level map, the purpose of this GIS was to locate each household and associate corresponding attributes as defined in the 'Household profile file'.
The aforementioned Poverty Reduction Project has established guidelines for on-site upgrading which has been shared by the LASDO Project.

For this sub-project, two major outputs have been produced in terms of publications, namely :

• one comprehensive report on USS divided into two parts (I "Report and Methodology" and II "USS identification sheets");
• one small booklet containing the general problematic, graphic elements (maps, pictures, drawings...), methodology, achievements and recommendations.

These two publications were diffused during the final seminar on September 4th 2003.

NGO SEVANATHA.

1. The creation of a multimedia tool for Urban communication purposes.

It has been developed and implemented through the on-going work of the Project Management Unit (PMU).

It is designed as an interactive consulting point for both CMC decision makers and Colombo inhabitants. It predominantly addresses municipal patrimony, land use trends, and utility services.

3. The establishment of a GIS for local operational planning.

This GIS is managed by CMC Institutional Development Center. It gathers information on land use, socio-economic trends and precarious housing. This sub-project is organised at three levels, corresponding to three mapping scales : city level, Ward level, and Settlement level.