Jan16, Colombo: The unoccupied area near Sri Lanka's parliament has been converted to a green park comprising walking paths and exercise trails for the benefit of the public.

Secretary of Defence and Urban Development Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Tuesday (15) declared open the Parliament Green for public use.

The 15-acre park, created at a cost of 81.5 million rupees under the greener cleaner concept of Colombo city's development, consists of a number of facilities including a green garden, walking paths, relaxing areas and exercise trails.

The eight-foot wide layered walk way and jogging path, illuminated by solar powered lighting, provides a wider circle around the Green to accommodate a large number of joggers while raised turf with existing trees allows for surface water drainage.

The park in Battaramulla, a suburb of Sri Lankan capital, offers a panoramic view of the Diyawanna Lake and the Parliament complex with the near-by War Heroes memorial.