Residents Rise Up Against Cement Factory Emerging From Disguised Hotel Project Near Bandaranaike Airport

What Was Promised as a Hotel Has Become a Five-Storey Industrial Threat, Say Angry Residents

A growing wave of public outrage has engulfed the densely populated Katunayake-Seeduwa area near Bandaranaike International Airport, as residents and local school authorities accuse developers of deliberately deceiving authorities and the community by concealing plans to construct a large cement factory behind the guise of a modest tourist hotel project.

What was initially presented to the public as a single-storey tourist hotel on the outskirts of the Katunayake-Seeduwa border has, over the course of five years, transformed into a towering five-storey cement manufacturing facility — a development that has left residents furious and deeply concerned about their health, safety and quality of life.

Allegations of Deception Surface at Media Briefing

At a media briefing held on 19 January, affected residents, community representatives and officials from a nearby school came forward to publicly voice their alarm over the project, alleging that the construction had proceeded through deliberate misrepresentation. The school in particular has raised serious concerns, alleging that it was deceived about the true nature of the development taking shape in its vicinity.

Protesters stressed that the location of the proposed cement factory is entirely unsuitable for industrial operations of this scale, given that it sits within a heavily populated residential zone that is already under environmental pressure due to its proximity to the country's main international airport.

Community Fears Over Health and Environment

Residents have highlighted the potential dangers of cement dust and industrial pollutants on the health of children, the elderly and the broader population living in close proximity to the site. Concerns have also been raised about increased heavy vehicle traffic, noise pollution and the long-term impact on property values and community wellbeing in the surrounding neighbourhoods.

• Residents allege the project was initially approved as a single-storey tourist hotel
• The structure has since expanded into a five-storey cement factory over five years
• A nearby school has alleged it was misled about the nature of the construction
• The site is located in a densely populated area close to Bandaranaike International Airport
• Community members are calling for an immediate halt to construction pending a full investigation

Calls for Government Intervention

Those gathered at the media briefing have called upon relevant government authorities, including local government bodies and environmental regulators, to launch an urgent and transparent investigation into how the project received approvals and whether any officials were complicit in facilitating the alleged deception.

Residents and school representatives insist they will continue their protest until the authorities take concrete action to halt construction and hold those responsible accountable.

The Katunayake-Seeduwa area, already burdened by the infrastructure demands of being adjacent to Sri Lanka's primary international air gateway, now faces the prospect of an industrial cement facility operating in the heart of a residential community — a situation that protesters say must be urgently addressed before irreversible harm is done.