Matara-Kataragama line on track

Shirajiv SIRIMANE

COLOMBO: The construction of the first phase of the proposed Matara-Kataragama railway line would commence early next year.

The 27-kilometre first stage would be from Matara to Beliatta and it would have seven railway stations in Matara, Pilladura, Weherahena, Kekanadura, Bambarakanda, Wavurukannala and Beliatta.

The railway line when completed would make it the first high-speed track in Sri Lanka, being constructed using modern technology. The cost of the total project up to Kataragama is expected to be around US $. 350 million.

The rail track would also be linked to the proposed Hambantota harbour, oil refinery, coal power plant, Weerawila Airport and several other proposed infrastructure development projects.

The railway stations too would be constructed to international standards with modern platforms, facilities for cold storage and special warehouses to store fruit and vegetables.

In addition, special car parks would be created in the railway station, where passengers could park their vehicles and return for them even the following day.

Geographical surveys, engineering studies and land acquiring have already been completed and the Government has already received eight international tenders to construct the railway line.

Railway construction firms from India, China, Korea, Malaysia, Austria and Japan have forwarded their tenders for the project, an official from the New Railways Ministry said.

The official said engineers of these foreign firms have visited the area and conducted their studies at their own expense. Minister of New Railways, Mahinda Amaraweera said all major cities in the area would be linked so that these areas would have a better transport system which was lacking for decades.

He said the proposed railway line had been in the pipeline for several years but there had been no political initiative taken in this regard.

"President Mahinda Rajapaksa is very keen that this project gets off the ground and it is due to his initiative this time that the project is finally moving," he said.

"With the unprecedented infrastructure developments in the area under the guidance of the President, Hambantota would no longer be an underdeveloped district," the Minister said.