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The 27.5km reconstructed railway line in Sri Lanka was inaugurated on March 4, 2014. India has provided a concessionary line of credit of $800 million to Sri Lanka for the Northern railway reconstruction project.
Other completed segments of the project include the Medawachchiya-Madhu Road segment and the Omanthai- Kilinochchi segment.
The Kilinochchi-Pallai re-constructed railway track and signal system built by IRCON International Ltd under the concessional Indian Line of Credit was inaugurated on Tuesday.
The ceremony was attended by Transport Minister Kumara Welgama, Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Development Minister Douglas Devananda, Indian High Commissioner Y. K. Sinha, Consul General of India in Jaffna, Shri V. Mahalingam, Northern Province Governor Maj. Gen. (Retd.) G.A. Chandrasiri, Deputy Transport Minister Rohana Kumara Dissanayake, Murugesu Chandrakumar MP, senior officials from the Transport Ministry, Sri Lanka Railways and IRCON International Limited. They undertook a train journey from Kilinochchi to Pallai on the reconstructed track.
The 27.5 km long Kilinochchi-Pallai railway line was reconstructed under a concessionary credit line of about US$ 800 million provided by the Indian government for the Northern Railway Reconstruction Project. India’s commitment was recorded in the Indo-Lanka Joint Declaration of June 9, 2010 in New Delhi, during the visit of the Sri Lankan President. Under this project, the segments already completed include the Medawachchiya-Madhu Road, inaugurated on May 14, 2013 and the Omanthai- Kilinochchi segment, inaugurated by the Sri Lankan President on September 14, 2013, an Indian High Commission Spokesman said.
Speaking on the occasion, Transport Minister Kumara Welgama, thanked the Indian government for the assistance provided towards reconstruction activities in Sri Lanka, including the rehabilitation of the Northern Railway line. Emphasising on the close relationship between the two countries, he noted that India had provided concessionary credit on soft terms for the project which others had not given.
Expressing satisfaction with the work of IRCON International, the Minister said that Talaimannar and Kankesanthurai would also be connected to the reconstructed rail network very soon.”In the South the railway network would reach Kataragama from Matara in a period of two years. I urge the Indian government to consider more concessionary credit towards development of Sri Lanka’s railway network.”
The Indian High Commissioner Y. K. Sinha said that the inauguration of the Kilinochchi-Pallai railway line was another milestone in the historic partnership between the two countries rooted in civilizational ties of history, language, culture, religion and in trade. He, pointed out that the reconstruction of the Northern line would assist in restoration of normal life, generate and support livelihood related activities, assist in restoring connectivity, not only within the Northern Province, but also with the rest of the country, thus promoting development, reconciliation and greater integration.
Sinha commended IRCON International on the timely completion of the reconstruction of the Kilinochchi-Pallai railway track and signal system. He, observed that the project was proceeding on schedule.
The High Commissioner said that an important component of the US$ 800 million Line of Credit for the reconstruction of the Northern Railway line was procurement of rolling stock by Sri Lanka Railways which would go a long way in meeting its requirements.”With the construction of the railway line up to Kataragama and resumption of the ferry service between Talaimannar and Rameshwaram, Sri Lankans would be able to travel by train from Hambantota and Matara to Bodhgaya, as well as to Jammu and Kashmir in North India, Gujarat in the West, Assam and the North-Eastern states in the East. We will extend full assistance in this regard.”
Congratulating Sri Lanka Railways in taking a further step towards full restoration of the railway network in the conflict affected parts of the country, which would help bring people closer, the High Commissioner said that as Sri Lanka’s closest neighbor and long-standing partner India was prepared to extend its fullest support to Sri Lanka in fulfilling its aspirations for peace, harmony, national reconciliation and development.
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