Sri Lanka resumes train services to former rebel town

[Lankan Ranger]

Sri Lanka resumes train services to former rebel town

The Sri Lankan government on Saturday resumed train services to a former rebel-held town after 23 years.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa launched the train service linking the southern capital of Colombo to the northern Kilinochchi Town.

Kilinochchi was the de-facto capital of the rebels during the war, with rebel leaders operated from the area and taxed goods being transported along the road via the rebel town.

During the war between the Sri Lankan military and Tamil Tiger rebels, the railway line between Colombo and the northern town of Jaffna was completely damaged in areas including Kilinochchi.

Following the end of the conflict with the defeat of the rebels in May 2009, the railway track between Colombo and Omanthai, also in the north, was reconstructed with Indian assistance and now it has been extended to Kilinochchi.

As the next stage, the reconstruction of the railway track will be extended to Jaffna following which the north and the south will be linked once again by road, air, sea and the railway network.


Sri Lanka resumes train services to former rebel town - Xinhua | English.news.cn

 

[Lankan Ranger]

Sri Lanka to open Chunnakam Grid Station

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will inaugurate the Chunnakam Grid substation connecting the Jaffna peninsula with the national grid after a lapse of two decades, tomorrow.

Over 63 Mw of power is to be transmitted to the Jaffna peninsular through the substation for which the Government has spent Rs. 1,800 million.

According to Power and Energy Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, over 120,000 households and the small and mega scale industries in the peninsula will be supplied electricity from the national grid from tomorrow.

The Minister added that the total electricity requirement of the people in the Jaffna peninsula will be fulfilled with the commissioning of this grid substation. The electricity supply to Jaffna Peninsula through the Lakshapana hydropower scheme came to a halt due to terrorist activities, 23 years ago. A program to supply electricity to all house holds in the Jaffna peninsular started under

Uthru wasanthaya program on the directive of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa with the end of conflict in 2009.

The Government allocated Rs. 3839 million for this mega electrification project.

Laying of 132KV power cables started from Vavuniya to Paranthan via Killinochchi commenced with the financial assistance of the Asian Development Bank and the Japanese government.

President to open Chunnakam Grid station