Ja-Ela ( si, ජා-ඇල, ta, ஜா-எல) is a suburb of

Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...

, located approximately north of the Colombo city centre. Ja-Ela lies on the A3 road which overlaps with the Colombo – Katunayake Expressway at the Ja-Ela Interchange.

Etymology

The etymology of the name is uncertain, and there are several yet arguable interpretations of the name. Howbeit, based on verified historical shreds of evidence, the etymology of the place, Ja Ela is based on both Malay and Sinhala languages. "Ja" and "Javan" are referential terms used by the Sinhalese, Moors & Tamils to address the Malays/Javanese or those of Indonesian descent and the term "Ela" is derived from Sinhala language meaning stream, lake or canal.

Local government council

Ja-Ela is administered by the

Ja-Ela Urban Council Ja-Ela Urban Council (JUC) is the local authority for the town of Ja-Ela Ja-Ela ( si, ජා-ඇල, ta, ஜா-எல) is a suburb of Colombo, located approximately north of the Colombo city centre. Ja-Ela lies on the A3 road which overlaps ...

Economy

The economy in Ja-Ela consists of commercial enterprises, office and industrial employment.

Populations

32,175

Shopping malls

K-Zone Ja-Ela K-Zone is a two-storey shopping mall complex in the vicinity of the Kapuwatta suburb area of Ja-Ela, outside Colombo, Sri Lanka. In 2011 John Keells Holdings acquired the site on the Colombo-Negombo Road. The building, was constructed at a co ...

* Realty Plaza Ja-Ela * Orex city shopping complex Ekala,Ja-Ela.

Movie theatres

* Cinemax 3D * Vista Lite 3D

Demographics

Majority of the people from Ja-Ela are generally Sinhalese, along with other minority communities such as Tamils, Muslims and Burghers. The following table summarises the population of Ja-Ela DS Area which covers both urban sectors and rural sectors, according to ethnicity (2011 Census) Source: Department of Census and Statistics, 2012

Transport

This suburb is situated on the main road A3, between

municipality and

Negombo Negombo (, ) is a major city in Sri Lanka, situated on the west coast and at the mouth of the Negombo Lagoon, in Western Province, from Colombo via Colombo - Katunayake Expressway. Negombo is one of the major commercial hubs in the country and ...

municipality. Ja-Ela is situated very close to the

Bandaranaike International Airport Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) ( si, බණ්ඩාරනායක ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළ, translit=Bandāranāyaka Jātyantara Guvantoṭupaḷa; ta, பண்டாரநாயக்க � ...

. There is also a bus stand in Ja-Ela which provides access to

Gampaha Gampaha (Sinhala: ගම්පහ ; Tamil: கம்பஹா ) is an urban city in Gampaha District, Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is situated to the north-east of the capital Colombo. It is the sixth largest urban area in Western Province, ...

. The traffic issues at Ja-Ela have been reduced after the introduction of the Colombo – Katunayake Expressway, which serves an interchange at Ja-Ela.

Railway

The Ja-Ela railway station is located on the

Puttalam line The Puttalam line (originally called the North-Western Line) is a broad gauge railway line in the rail network of Sri Lanka. The railway line begins at Ragama junction and runs through the major towns along the north-west coast of the count ...

and was opened in 1908. It is the fourth station on the line and is from

Colombo Fort railway station Fort railway station is a major rail hub in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The station is served by Sri Lanka Railways, with many inter-city and commuter trains entering each day. Fort Station is the main rail gateway to central Colombo; it is the terminus ...

. The station provides commuter access to the Colombo, Putlam and Chilaw areas. Not only the station is in the heart of the Ja- Ela town and also it is the nearest station to the Negombo - Colombo Main road. Therefore, it known as one of the most popular stations in the area.

Schools

* Christ King College - Thudalla * De Mazenod College - Kandana * G. B. Senananayake national college - Ekala * Holy Rosary Vidyalaya - Dehiyagatha * Jayanthi Vidyalaya - Ja-Ela * King's International College - Kapuwatta * Mary Immaculate Convent - Thudalla * OKI International School - Hapugoda * St. Mary's College - Ja-Ela * St. Xavior Vidyalaya - Waewala * St. Sebastian Maha Vidyalaya - Kandana

Geography

Climate

References

*http://www.geonames.org/1242835/ja-ela.html Populated places in Gampaha District {{WesternLK-geo-stub