COLOMBO, July 2019: The Sri Lankan government and India’s IRCON International Limited have signed a $91.26 million agreement for upgrading the 130 km-long Maho-Omanthai rail line, which is over 100 years old.
In a statement, the Indian High Commission in Colombo said that once the upgradation is completed, Jaffna-bound trains will be able to travel at 120 km per hour, from the current speed of around 60 km per hour, providing safe, efficient and comfortable transportation for the passengers and further contribute to the modernisation of Sri Lanka Railways. The railway line from Maho in the north western Kurunegala district to Omanthai in the northern Vavuniya district is being upgraded under Indian concessional financing. This is the first time the track is being upgraded in 100 years and the Indian assistance will cover 12 crossing stations, 7 halt stations and 78 level crossings.
India has so far committed Lines of Credit worth around US$ 1.3 billion for development of railway sector in Sri Lanka. The restoration of arterial railway lines, connecting the north and the south after decades of conflict, was undertaken under Indian concessional financing. The tsunami-affected southern railway line was also upgraded under Indian Line of Credit. India has so far upgraded around 300 km of railway track and provided modern signaling & telecommunication system for around 330 km in Sri Lanka.
The contract agreement was signed on 18 July by Sunil Kumar Choudhury, Chairman & Managing Director, IRCON International Limited and Mr. L.P.Jayampathy, Secretary, Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation of Sri Lanka, in the presence of Arjuna Ranatunga, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation of Sri Lanka. M.J. D. Fernando, General Manager, Sri Lanka Railways; S. L. Gupta, ED, IRCON, International Limited; and Suja K. Menon, Head of Economic & Commercial Wing, High Commission of India were also present at the signing ceremony.
In June 2017, India signed a fresh Line of Credit Agreement for US $ 318 million for the development of railway sector in Sri Lanka. Under this Line of Credit, other projects that are underway include procurement of 160 passenger coaches; upgradation of signal & telecommunication system from Maho to Anuradhapura; and setting up of a Railway Workshop in Ratmalana etc. Procurements of rolling stock from India are also underway including 6 DMUs, 10 locomotives, 20 container carrier wagons, 30 fuel tank wagons, 160 passenger coaches, and 500 buses. India has also contributed substantially to capacity building of Sri Lankan railway personnel.
This project is in continuation of India’s efforts to partner with Sri Lanka in people-oriented connectivity projects in Sri Lanka, the statement said.
