More than 3,000 residents of Hatton will get new houses under a programme, which will be expedited on the instruction of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said a new project will be set up to replace about 3,000 shanties with permanent houses in Hatton following a request by State Minister Jeevan Thondaman.

The Prime Minister was addressing a meeting yesterday at the Parliament premises to discuss the development activities in the Nuwara Eliya District, the Prime Minister’s Media Unit said in a statement.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of developing Nuwara Eliya and its environs as a tourist destination for local and foreign tourists.

The Prime Minister instructed to develop the area around the Lake Gregory and the Race Course, which has attracted local and foreign tourists.

Developing the Nuwara Eliya City, restarting horse racing, improving the quality of parks in the city, developing sports facilities in the city, protecting sensitive ecological zones in the area, launching cable car project and theme park were discussed.

The Prime Minister instructed the relevant departments to develop tourism facilities to the maximum.

The Prime Minister instructed to develop the area from Hatton to Talawakele, Sripada by improving the tourism facilities. The Castlereagh Reservoir area will be upgraded for tourists, and the conservation of the Kotagala wetland will be expedited.

Minister C.B. Ratnayake, State Minister Jeevan Thondaman, Parliamentarians S.B. Dissanayake, Nimal Piyatissa, M.Rameshwaran, Urban Development and Housing Ministry Secretary Sirinimal Perera, Director General Prasad Ranaweera, Nuwara Eliya District Deputy Director Ranjith Bandara and others participated.