Govt to sign agreements with Indian, Chinese companies:

Northern railway line reconstruction expedited

Irangika Range

The Government will sign agreements with an Indian and a Chinese company to reconstruct the Northern railway line from Omanthai to Kankesanthurai next week.

The Indian company IRCON will construct the railway line from Omanthai to Pallai while China Railway Number Five Group will undertake the construction of the railway line from Pallai Kankensanthurai, Sri Lanka Railway’s General Manager P.P. Wijesekara told the Daily News.

The distance from Omanthai to Kankesanthurai is 152 km which will be reconstructed at an estimated cost of US$ 430 million. The project is expected to be completed within the next two and half years.

US $ 185 million and US $ 245 million will be provided in terms of concessionary loans by the Indian and Chinese governments respectively, Wijesekara said.

He said the Railway Department will restore the railway line up to Omanthai. The track is being laid successfully with Army assistance.

“The railway track un to Kankesanthurai will be completed in two stages. The Indian Company will continue work from Omanthai to Pallai and the Chinese company will lay the track from Pallai to KKS,” Wijesekara explained.

The track will stretch from Omanthai to Pallai and will be 96 kms in length while the distance from Pallai to KKS is 56 kms, he said. Wijesekara said trains are operating up to Thandikulam and would be extended to Omanthai by the end of the year.A new railway station in Omanthai is being reconstructed at an estimated cost of Rs. 20 million with the assistance of the Social Services and Social Welfare Ministry and the people of Galle.

He said 27 railway stations from Thandikulam to KKS are to be reconstructed by 27 sponsors already found by the Government, Wijesekara said.

The Northern rail track and railway stations were damaged by the LTTE. As a result of this destruction, train services on Northern track were limited only to Vavuniya for the last 30 years. The Army is carrying out de-mining activities to clear the area so that the railway line can proceed, Wijesekara said The Government estimates that it would cost nearly Rs. 14 billion to restore the entire rail track by 2010 under the “Uthuru Mithuru” program.