Its Director General Gamini Hewage says that urbanization in 2012 was at 18.5 percent.

He added that the report of the survey is planned to be submitted to the cabinet following which the government will make decisions with regard to future urban planning, based on the report.

According to the new survey, Homagama and Kollonnawa pradeshiya sabha areas in the Colombo District and all pradeshiya sabhas in the Gampaha DIistrct have undergone rapid urbanisation at present.

.The difference between an urban population of 18 per cent and 50 per cent suggests the absence of an appropriate, accepted definition of what constitutes an urban area, he said.

Such uncertainty presents significant barriers to understanding urban systems making it difficult for effective urban policy making, he explained