Indian help for rebuilding rail lines

BY RAJMI Manatunga

THE Railways Ministry has decided to fully reconstruct the tsunami-hit coastal railway line with Indian financial assistance.

India has agreed to fund the complete reconstruction of the 160 kilometre railway line through a loan or a grant, a Railway Ministry spokesman told the Daily News. The coastal railway line was severely damaged in the December 26 tsunami.

However, the Railways Department with the cooperation of its employees was able to resume train operations to the South within two months.

"India has pledged us assistance to complete the reconstruction of the track and further upgrade the railway line," he said.

Accordingly, the rail track and bridges on the coastal line will be fully reconstructed while the damaged signal system will also be restored.

"We are also planning to use the funds for rebuilding railway stations that were fully or partially destroyed by the tsunami," the spokesman added.

He said the Ministry hoped to carry out the reconstruction without hindering routine train operations on the coastal line.

Meanwhile, the Ministry is also exploring the possibility of obtaining financial assistance from several European countries for renovating the Colombo-Badulla Main railway line and the Colombo-Puttalam line which are in a deteriorating condition.