25 train carriages from China here
COLOMBO: Twenty five of the 100 rail compartments ordered from
China have already arrived at the Colombo Port and the remaining 75
carriages will also arrive at the Colombo Port within the next three
months, a railway spokesman said yesterday.
|
RAILWAY BOOM: The first shipment of rail compartments
ordered by the Railway Department from China arrived at the
Colombo Port. Here one of the carriages being unloaded.
Picture by Palitha Gunasena |
Transport Minister Dallus Alahapperuma, who was at the Port to
receive the carriages, said this was the biggest ever investment in the
railways in recent times. He expressed his gratitude to President
Mahinda Rajapaksa for his commitment to develop the railways.
The Sri Lanka Railway which caters to over 300,000 passengers daily
faced a severe shortage of passenger carriages due to non import of rail
carriages for the past 15 years. With the deployment of these new
carriages the Sri Lanka Railway will provide a better service to the
rail commuters, he said.
The Department has also ordered five powersets from China for short
distant operations. These powersets will be operated between Colombo-Kurunegala,
Ambepussa, Polgahawela, Mirigama, Panadura, Galle, Chilaw and
Avissawella. |
