Defence Secretary reviews progress of Doppler Weather Radar Project in Puttalam

Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd) visited the Doppler Weather Radar Network project site in Puttalam on July 29, 2026 to review the progress of the Japanese grant-funded project, which is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s weather forecasting and early warning capabilities.

The Defence Secretary was received by the Director General of the Department of Meteorology, A.L.K. Wijemannage, who briefed him on the project’s scope and importance before the site inspection began.

During the inspection, project engineers updated the Defence Secretary on the ongoing construction work, the progress made since his previous visit and the project’s implementation schedule.

According to the project timeline, installation of the radar system is scheduled to begin in January next year, while the entire project is expected to be completed by the end of July next year.

The Ministry of Defence said the Defence Secretary noted the progress achieved so far and stressed the importance of completing the project on schedule to improve Sri Lanka’s disaster preparedness, enhance weather forecasting accuracy and strengthen resilience against extreme weather events.